1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 2: You're listening to every Day Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 3 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 2: helping you pray God's word for your family in the 4 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 2: areas you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here, 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting, and every day we come 7 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 2: In the month of April, we are hosting the Everyday 9 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 2: Prayers for Gentleness book Club on the podcast to celebrate 10 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 2: our newest release, We're So Glad you're here today. The 11 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:43,919 Speaker 2: author of our new book and mom of three, Christy Thomas, 12 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 2: will lead our devotion in prayer to challenge us and 13 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 2: encourage us on our journey to grow in gentleness. To 14 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 2: learn more about Christy, our new book, and the Million 15 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: Praying Mom's ministry, visit Millionprayingmoms dot com. You can find 16 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: a link in our show notes. After a brief word 17 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 2: from our sponsors, will pray together for our children. 18 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 3: Josea eleven, verse three says it was I who taught 19 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 3: Ephraim to walk, taking them by the hand, but they 20 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 3: never knew that I healed them. Each of my sons 21 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 3: began to walk when they were about a year old. 22 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 3: The first glue that each would soon be ready to 23 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 3: walk came when he began to pull himself up on 24 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,119 Speaker 3: every raised surface. The couch, a box on the floor, 25 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 3: and legs. Both mine and the chairs all were fair 26 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 3: game to a little baby eager for his next steps. 27 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 3: Soon he'd be cruising along while holding the edge of 28 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 3: the couch or gleefully pushing a box across the floor. 29 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 3: The biggest challenge for me was weeks of leaning over 30 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 3: at a backbreaking ninety degree angle to steady his little 31 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 3: hands as he took step after tentative step. But it 32 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 3: was all worth it when he took his first few 33 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 3: steps completely alone. His father and I laughed and cheered 34 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 3: as each child learned to walk on his own. My 35 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 3: sons are now in the learned to drive stage rather 36 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 3: than the learned to walk stage, But I still think 37 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 3: of these precious and taxing moments when I read Hoseiah eleven. 38 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 3: In it, God compares his role in Israel's growth to 39 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 3: that of a young father. He says, it was I 40 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 3: who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the hand, 41 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 3: But they never knew that I healed them. I led 42 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 3: them with records with ropes of love to them. I 43 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 3: was like one who eases the yoke from their jaws. 44 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 3: I bent down to give them food. This tender imagery 45 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 3: reminds me of a father teaching his beloved child to walk, 46 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 3: or a plowman caring for treasured oxen. The father has 47 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 3: power over his young child and the plowman has control 48 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 3: over his oxen, but both metaphors showed God treating his 49 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 3: people with gentle care. These images are followed by God's 50 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 3: frustration at Israel's people for their absolute refusal to repent. 51 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 3: Like a wise father who can see the possible consequences 52 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 3: of his young son's God knows their sin will bring destruction. 53 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 3: Although Israel is bent on turning from God, he will 54 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 3: not turn from them. Joseah eleven, verse nine says, I 55 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 3: will not vent the full fury of my anger. I 56 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 3: will not turn back to destroy Ephraim, for I am 57 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 3: God and not man, the holy one among you. I 58 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 3: will not come in rage. God is angry because their 59 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 3: sin will lead to destructive consequences, but he chooses to 60 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 3: hold back the full fury of his anger for the 61 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 3: sake of his beloved children because he is God and 62 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 3: holds himself to a higher standard. Despite Israel's constant infidelity 63 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 3: toward God, he refuses to obliterate them. Instead of raging 64 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 3: at them, yelling I brought you into this world and 65 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 3: I could take you out of it. God laments what 66 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 3: is about to happen to them. Later, he says he 67 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 3: will roar like a lion, using his voice to guide 68 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 3: his children home from their time in bondage, settling them 69 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 3: in their homes like a mother welcoming home a wayward child. 70 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 3: In this passage, God's father heart toward Israel is on 71 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 3: full display, the tender memories of early childhood, the frustration 72 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 3: with their current rebellion, and his future plans to draw 73 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 3: them back home and settle them in safety. God's relationship 74 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 3: with Israel mirrors the one he has with you and 75 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 3: with me. God is the one who tenderly drew us 76 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 3: toward his heart in the first place. Once we choose 77 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 3: to place our trust in him, the creator of the 78 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 3: universe curves his star, placing hand around ours, helping us 79 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: take tentative steps into freedom and forgiveness. When we stray, 80 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 3: he allows pertinent consequences instead of sending lightning to strike 81 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 3: us dead with the ultimate goal of drawing us back 82 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 3: home into His arms. Whether you've had a good experience 83 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 3: with a father figure or not, I pray that God 84 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 3: would reveal his gentle heart of perfect fatherly love toward 85 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 3: you today. May, knowing how cherished you are, help you 86 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 3: take one more trusting step into God's way of gentleness. 87 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 3: Let's pray together, Lord, thank you for your gentle heart 88 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 3: of love toward Israel and toward me. Help me to 89 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 3: see you as a delighted father rather than as an 90 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 3: angry dictator. Thank you for holding back your right to 91 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 3: vent the full fury of your anger for my sake. 92 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 3: Help me trust you to ease the yoke of slavery 93 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 3: to sin from my jaw, and give me food, the 94 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 3: bread of life in Jesus precious name. 95 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: Amen. 96 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 2: Are you a visual learner? Would you like to receive 97 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 2: our daily devotions and written form right to your inbox? 98 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 2: Then join our Patreon community of Praying Moms. Not only 99 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 2: will you receive the transcripts of each podcast devotional, you 100 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,679 Speaker 2: will also receive a monthly prayer calendar and surprise bonus content. 101 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 2: Learn more about our Praying Mom community in today's show 102 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 2: notes or at Millionprayingmoms dot com. Till next time, friends, 103 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 2: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 104 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 2: shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the 105 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 2: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.