How?

God asked four questions centering around the word how.  Hosea 11:8 says how shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

Consider how often we use how.  It has been one of the most used and most significant words throughout history.  It’s very revealing because it shows us something about ourselves.  If one of you truck drivers put me in your truck and told me to drive it, I’d ask you how to do it.  I don’t know about the operation of a big truck like that.  See what how does?

These four questions were about Israel and the tribe of Ephraim in particular.  When we use the word, many times it may be in the form of how in the world will I make ends meet or how will things work out?  If you are lost or away from the Lord, as Israel was, you no doubt ask yourself how I got in the shape I’m in.  How can God help me?  How can I fix it?  How reveals your lack of knowledge and the request for help.  It lets us know we’re in need.

What do you lack today?  Ask God how and he’ll show you.  It is the beginning point of a search in the right direction; it will get you an answer.  When you admit that you don’t have it together, you begin to head in the right way.  Without realizing the need, you won’t seek help.  How poses the question and lets others know that you don’t know.  I may have trouble showing you how, but God will not.

God is asking the questions and using the word how.  It’s not because he doesn’t have an answer.  If he can’t do all things, then he wouldn’t be God.  He’s not asking in that regard.  It is to motivate us to ask of him.  See how much he cares for us!

Verse 1:  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.  He loved them.

Verse 2:  As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.  He separated them from idols, but they turned right back to them.

Verse 3: taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.  They responded to God in the wrong way and threw his blessing back at him.  No wonder they got in such a mess. God taught them right, but they didn’t acknowledge him.  It is his hand in our lives that makes the difference.

Verse 4: I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.  He has wrapped us with cords of love.  The worst thing we could ever do is push God away.  We sin against him when we chose another path.  He should have given up on us a long time ago, but he didn’t.

Verse 7: And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.  God’s heart is broken when we determine to go our own way.

Does this sound familiar?  God, why are you doing this to me?  We blame God when it’s our own fault that things have turned out the way they have.  God says how can I give you up?  You may be concerned that God doesn’t love you anymore, but he does.  He has not given up.  You are loveable to him.  Parents get wounded and hurt, but they still love their children.  You’ll never be too hopeless for God to help.  Don’t ask God how.  He’s asking you.  He wants you to understand how much you need him.  When you say how can God help me, he says how can I not help?

How can I be forgiven?  God says how can I deliver?  What do you need?  One person might need a certain thing while another needs something else.  Helplessness is the same.  God is asking how you need it.  How can he deliver you? Don’t doubt he can.  He says how can I make you?  Do you feel like you need a fresh start?  I can’t erase things, but God can.  It’s called being born again; it’s a new beginning.  Jesus wipes the slate clean.  The bible says except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

How shall I make you?  HOW about good as new!!  How shall I set you?  HOW about in the right place you should be!!  There is One who can respond to any question that begins with how.  He turns it around, uses the same word, and regardless of how scattered your life is, God can put it back together.  He knows how!  If you turn your life over to God, he will see to it that you are put together as you should be.

How shall I give you up?  God has not given up!  Ask him how, and he’ll answer you from heaven!