Bent on backsliding

And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him. - Hosea 11.7

Bent on backsliding. What a horrible place to be. Backsliding is a terrible place to be. Israel called God the ‘most High’ but no one would exalt Him. They claimed to belong to God, but they did not act like they were His.

Think about that for a second. The verse starts with the phrase ‘and my people’ so God is not talking about just anyone. He is talking about His own. God’s own people were slipping back into their old paths.

So that does happen. We still use the term today for believers who are not walking spirit filled lives. It is still possible for God’s people to walk after flesh and not walk after the spirit. It is possible to a child of God and still make sinful choices. I remember a time in my Christian life when I, to most people, would have seemed like I was bent on backsliding. I was calling God my God, but not exalting Him with my life.

What is amazing to see is God’s patience, who, like the prodigal son, seems bent on their backsliding. God is still there, as we are going to see in the next couple of days.