The Cords and Bands of Love

“I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love.” Hosea 11:4

The power of redemption is in the hands of God. No one is capable of seeking a relationship with God unless He first reveals Himself to them. Jesus makes this evident when He explains His place in the redemption of humanity:

“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44)

God reveals Himself and draws people to Him in many different ways. God does not hide Himself from you. God makes Himself known to everyone in His creation and seeks to draw them into the light of His love from the darkness of sin and death.

The revelation of God can be found in His creation that surrounds us:

“Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” (Rom 1:19-20)

God has created humanity with the knowledge of Him stamped into our DNA. God’s word states the knowledge of Him, “is manifested” to all His creation. Manifested is to be understood as shining or apparent. If this was not enough the scripture declares, “God hath shewed it unto them.” 

This revelation of God to you is not enough to bring redemption to you alone. The scripture reveals the need for you to recognize God’s power over His creation if you are to escape death and destruction that sin visits in the lives of all humanity.

Darkness comes over people who reject the authority of God. This darkness will block the understanding of God and will remove the revelation of God’s existence to you. This darkness is described in this verse:

“… when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Rom 1:21)

The darkness that falls on people who reject God’s authority is demonstrated in their posture towards God. The afore verse states when an ego-centric attitude towards God is demonstrated, “neither were thankful,” was the result of their unwillingness to glorify Him as God. This condition of the heart will cause you to become “vain” and you will become a follower of your “imaginations” about who and what God is.

What is the outcome of rejecting God’s authority? You become a “fool":

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Rom 1:22)

That alone would be a bad enough condition to find yourself in but there is one more horrifying and terrible experience for those who deny God’s authority. You will lose your mind.

When you reject God’s authority over your life there is no absolute authority to control the sin-driven behaviors that plague humanity The scripture states:

“...as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” (Rom 1:28)

A “reprobate mind” is one who has rejected the goodness and righteousness of God and has become worthless to their selves, others and God. Sin holds the power of death of the body but also the power of death of self-worth and the value of other people in your life.

It is to the ones who will “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near” (Isa 55:6) that God’s revelation to His creation can expel the darkness and death of sin and give light and hope.

Is God calling you, “with cords of a man, with bands of love”? If so, recognize His authority over your life and call out to Him and you will receive Jesus’ promise that He made to the ones that respond to God’s drawing, “and I will raise him up at the last day.”