God’s Word on Entitlement

October 7, 2015 | ziononth | 2 Comments | Pastor's Blog

When you were younger, did you feel entitled to love? Did you feel that it was your parents job to love you? Did you feel it was their job to love you and bend over backwards for you, even though you did the most outrageous things, things that make you cringe now? Was there ever the thought that they would return you to the store so they could get their money back?

Growing up is hard; we want to be adults so badly, and then, as soon as we grow up, we wish we were kids again, remembering how good we had it when we were younger. It’s part of the process to wish that there were things in our past that we could take back. We understand that our past makes us who we are in the present, but there’s always at least one event we wish we could redeem.

The children of Israel had a great thing: God chose them out of all of the other nations to be His. All they had to do was trust Him, follow Him, and give Him the honor that He deserved.

They did, but they didn’t. Sin told the children of Israel that they were entitled to love. They were owed it. Sin told them they could get away with anything, and there would be no everlasting consequences. Sin fools us today in the same way.

Hosea was a prophet in the Old Testament who was called to remind the children of Israel that they were not entitled to love, but that God loved them freely. They couldn’t just do whatever they wanted. With that love came the understanding that there must be behaviors that reveal growth. God’s message through Hosea was meant to remind them that God had chosen them, and He did not want them lost to depravity of carelessness and an entitlement mentality.

The words of Hosea 11 are good reminders for us too about when we fall into an entitlement mentality. God loves us, but in that love we are called to reject the intention to put blinders on as to the reality of the consequences of sin.

A few thoughts on Hosea 11:

(1) Sin tells us the more we’re loved, the more we can run

Hosea 11:1-2 – When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.  The more they were called, the more they went away, they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.

When you’re growing up, you crave freedom and less boundaries. That’s what you say, anyway. But you like the boundaries because you feel safe. You also like the boundaries because you want to test them. When you know there is love present, you want to test the boundaries of that love. What’s that line that says I’ve done too much? What’s that line that’s going to land me in military school?

The children of Israel were loved, and they felt that they could still make up their own rules. They got angry when God disciplined them with military school at the hands of the Philistines, Assyrians, Egyptians, and Babylonians.

Dread the thought of military school, and give thanks for the grace while you’ve gone as far as you have.

(2) It’s easy to forget the kindness of the past because of the pain of the present

Hosea 11:3-4 – Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.

When it’s painful now, the good things of the past seem as a distant memory. Even if it was just last week. The Israelites had a hard time remembering the good things when they were under the discipline of the Lord, and the words of Hosea were meant to redirect their attention to all of the good things that God had done over their vast history. His words were meant to remind them of where they had strayed.

When we’re learning to ride a bike, it takes a lot of care. But you always know that there is someone there to help you, even when you stumble. It’s hard to remember those tender moments when your Xbox has been taken away and you’re stuck in your room with nothing more than a Calculus textbook and a five-page, take-home, all-essay test. And you’ve been grounded from being on the football team.

God reminds us that those times will end, and we’ll be given another chance. Reflect on what landed you there while doing the test and figuring out the derivatives and integrals (for you Calculus fans!).

(3) Entitled people are willing to find new gods/master

Hosea 11:5-7 – They shall notreturn to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me.  The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their gates, and devour them because of their own counsels.  My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all.

Ouch! Military school played out. Sometimes we don’t choose the new master, they’re chosen for us. But the new god, that is always by our own doing. Sometimes we want to choose our punishment, but discipline is not a democracy. God knows what we need, and so do our parents. Understand the choice that has been made for you, and may it be a warning for further along in life.

(4) God promises that sin does not make Him forget His covenant

Hosea 11:8-9 – How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.

Discipline is meant to return us to good standing. Discipline is meant to bring us to repentance, so that we can once again see that our parents and our Heavenly Father loves us unconditionally, and we’ll be welcomed downstairs for more than just dinner. Our parents don’t forget the love they have as a parent and neither does God. That is the great message of the covenantal relationship.

(5) God invites the entitled who’ve wandered to rejoin the faithful

Hosea 11:10-12 – They shall go after the Lord; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west; they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord. Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.

Sometimes we stray; sometimes our rebellion lasts longer than it should. But God always welcomes us back and is willing to receive us back. Jesus Christ made that opportunity available in this life, so that we won’t face eternal banishment. Fear God, know that He holds power over life and death, but then fear not, because He is a God of love and encouragement. If He could redeem the rejection of Peter, He can and will do it for you.

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Don’t let entitlement ruin your life. Give it to the Lord for the better good of a thankful life. Amen.