A Stubborn Heifer or a Lamb?
There is a huge difference between dealing with a stubborn person and a compliant person. I am sure we have all had our difficulties in handling a stubborn child or a stubborn co-worker. It is so hard to get them to listen to reason, because all they want to do is what is in their head already. Once they are set on something, it is almost impossible to get them to change, even if their way is not the best. However, a compliant person is willing to change once they hear why. They comply with the request without murmuring or complaining. We can count on them not to push the boundaries, but to conform to the plans. See what I mean? We have to interact much differently with each kind of person. God had that trouble with Israel, too. (Hosea 4:16) Israel was like a stubborn heifer. They would not listen to Him, at all. They pursued their idols, and they went wherever they desired to go, pushing God's boundaries. Therefore, He could not pasture them like He would a lamb in a large field. If He did that, Israel would go wild, and it would be very hard to bring them back to Him.
I wonder what God thinks about us. Are we acting like a stubborn heifer or a lamb? If we would stop and think about this, we might find out why we are having trouble with the Lord. When we are stubborn, God can't just leave us alone. We will destroy ourselves. He cares for us too much to let us do that. Therefore, He keeps us on a tight rein. When we start to stray, He yanks us back to Himself. Sometimes, He has to yank us back 20 times in a day. It may not be pleasant for us, but it is needed to keep us out of trouble. Let's decide to be like lambs, instead. Let's listen to the Lord, and be compliant to whatever He says. Let's decide to follow our Shepherd around all day, so He never has to wonder what we are up to. He can reach out and touch us at any point. He can trust us, and we are blessed by His loving care. Wouldn't that be so much better than being stubborn?
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Tomorrow, I intend to read Hosea 5-7.