Does the Church Know God’s Heart is Broken?

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There is no betrayal like the betrayal of a spouse.

When the person with whom you have been the most vulnerable betrays your trust with someone else, it is a depth of pain like no other.

The pain of betrayal is only made worse when the betrayer doesn’t realize the pain they’ve caused.

When they behave like nothing has happened; as if everything is as it has always been.

Does the Church Know God’s Heart is Broken?

This is where we find Israel in the book of Hosea.

Chapter 7 opens up with God’s lament: “When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria.” (7:1)

He goes on in that chapter to cry out, “Though I redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me. They did not cry out to Me with their heart when they wailed on their beds…they rebel against Me; though I disciplined and strengthened their arms., yet they devise evil against Me; they return, but not to the Most High.” (7:13-16)

God’s heart is broken with their betrayal, and yet Israel claims, “My God, we know You!” (8:2)

But, in reality they don’t know Him. They don’t know what He truly wants.

It’s like a marriage where the wife is unheard. Her husband constantly buys her expensive jewelry when all she really wants is his time and attention.

“For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (6:6)

Israel thought that as long as they continued to bring their sacrifices, God would overlook their unfaithfulness to Him.

Dear sister, God isn’t nearly as concerned with

How many Sundays in a row you attend church
If you pay your tithe each month without missing
If you’ve read through the whole Bible every year from cover to cover
What your reading streak is on YouVersion

He isn’t nearly as concerned that you’ve checked all of the boxes as much as He is concerned with how sincere your relationship is with Him.

What good is it if we attend church every Sunday without fail, if during the week we entertain ourselves with books and movies that are filled with profanity, violence, and immorality?

Will God overlook the fact that we’re more willing to listen to psychology experts than His Word, just because we are faithful to pay our tithe each month?

Will he overlook our “safe sex” talk with our kids or the fact that we’re living with (or sleeping with) our boyfriend as long as we read through the Bible each year or have a perfect reading streak on YouVersion?

God doesn’t want our checked boxes!

God wants loyalty; He wants to be heard!

He doesn’t want the empty platitudes of “My God we know you” (8:2) when we raise our hands in worship on Sunday when we were out drinking and partying with friends on Saturday.

When we truly know God; when he has been “heard” by us; when our heart is no longer divided – one side in the church and the other side in the world…

it won’t be about checked boxes for us; it will be about dwelling in His pleasure.

It won’t be about keeping our 6:00 A.M. quiet time, because we’ll be communicating with Him all throughout the day.

It won’t be about trying to buy His affirmation with tithe and checked boxes, because we will assured of His love…because we truly do know Him.

Not just intellectually, but intimately!

This post is part of the Blogging Through the Bible series with Good Morning Girls