"Who are You that God would use YOU?"

What-A-Question!!!! Has anyone ever asked you this question? I hope not.



Unfortunately, it has happened to me, but there is freedom from the implications of this question found in Hosea, Psalms, Believing God.





History of the book:


Hosea was told by God to take for himself an adulterous wife. (I know!) Basically he had heartache & frustration to look forward to. Hosea was being asked to be an example of how God truly deeply loves His sinful people. (What? God intended this horrible pain to be gain?????)

The major themes of this book addresses sin of the nation, God's judgement, God's love and ultimate restoration.



We have a good Sunday School teacher that poignantly uncovered another theme, a sub-theme that I had never considered, by asking us one question. Our teacher asked us all, "How much ridicule do you think Hosea must have received while addressing the nation's sins.......when his house was full of it?" (some liberty taken with question for effect)

He must have been mocked and ridiculed, deemed unworthy and incapable. Why would God use Hosea? I dare not ask. After all, his wife was an adulterous prostitute and he could not control her or bring her to repentance. Would you follow this man?



You see we are not always aware of the whole of persecution especially when it comes from other believers. Sometimes the persecution we face in Christ is from brothers and sisters in Christ. Sad, but true. I am not writing this for you to conclude, "poor Rachele, someone hurt her feelings," but I write this to let you know that YOU TRULY ARE WHO GOD SAYS YOU ARE! {Thanks Beth, we're still believing God.}



There have been a influx of hurting people thrust into my life recently and I had asked a friend to pray over a certain area in my life as well. She has been and I do love her dearly; but she has asked me not once, but twice, "Who are you to help these ladies, when you can't fix your own stuff?" Well first of all I wish I could fix my stuff, but it is not necessarily within my control. It is all around me. I most certainly daily ask God to keep me from stumbling. I had need of prayer. (Who doesn't?)

And then God in His wisdom sent me a few women who are very UN-happily married. So, I shared that much with her because I wanted prayer as I did my best to obey HIM and be there for them. God had placed this huge task in my life and I attempted to share it with my friend. When I requested prayer, her response was not that "she would pray for me" or even that "God might teach me while helping them" but the question....Who Are You? Now, please know I do love this friend dearly and I don't think for one minute that she meant me harm.

By the way, with all that God has appointed to me, the honor of acting upon in prayer or service, I have never felt that I was the cat's pajamas. I actually daily ask God who am I that you would trust me with ___________? He just always reminds me that I am HIS. And so ARE YOU!!!



Anyway, I have never felt the need to respond to her because I am who God says I am. And I will do what God asks me to do. How do you really respond to that without sounding defensive? Plus I was baffled not hurt.

Whether you have the right to be or not, defensive that is, people automatically get defensive back when you defend yourself especially when it is ridiculous. So, according to Psalm 5, I allowed the Lord to defend me because, God can do what He says He can do. (thank you so much Beth).



Psalm 5, NKJV, "But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You."



Hosea, you, and I may go out boldly regardless of our past, regardless of our home lives, all because He has sent us. You are able and capable because it is God alone who gives you that strength and He is alive and active in you! (Oh Beth, you just bless us so! You're the dear one,..............., no you are!) as if she were reading my blog! ha! lol



God will ask the uncomfortable of you. God will ask you to speak up maybe not from a podium or megaphone, but He will ask you to speak, mark HIS word. The way I see it is this, God will let you out of your box or squeeze you out of it.



Yes, where there is sin there is anger, pain, and the feeling of justice loss. But with God there is redemption and blessing after repentance. Hosea 14: 4 God speaks, "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them."



Did-you-see-that??? He will heal the waywardness, not just discipline, not just ask repentance from it, but He will heal it all. Why? Because He loves us so much.

Psalm 32:5 has brought me great freedom from guilt. If you see that He will heal our waywardness and still wonder how, read Psalm 32:5 (NLT), "Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone."



My fellow sojourners we are freed from sin's grip, guilt of past sin, and from all guilt!



I could go on but my question is, "Who are we to ask whom God chooses to use?" If God is who He says He is, and can do what He says He can do, I am who God says I am, and I can do all things through Christ whose word is alive and active in me.....then why do we question what God does and the person He chooses to use?



I know there are those who feel no remorse or repentance for the things they do. They are ignoring His voice in rebellion, but those who truly love God and want to serve HIM for HIM are free indeed! We must encourage one another regardless of past and circumstances and work with repentant hearts; hold your ridicule even from your self and move forward in grace, freedom, and victory!

And again to add to what my Sunday school teacher asked us, "Do you fake an injury in order to sit on the bench instead of joining God's team?" Hosea could have cried uncle but God wanted more regardless of the mess around him.



In the deepest love of Jesus,

Chel - one ordinary abiding branch with baggage (a lot of baggage!)