The LORD says, "The people of Israel are like a half-baked loaf of bread. They rely on the nations around them and do not realize that this reliance on foreigners has robbed them of their strength. Their days are numbered, but they don't even know it. The arrogance of the people of Israel cries out against them. In spite of everything that has happened, they have not returned to me, the LORD their God. Israel flits around like a silly pigeon, first her people call on Egypt for help, and then they run to Assyria! But I will catch them like birds as they go by. I will punish them for the evil they have done.

Hosea 7:8-12

Hosea used three colorful figures of speech to describe divided hearts. A half-baked cake was not palatable to God or to them. They were like proud men who cannot see the signs of their aging and are unaware of their spiritual decline. A Senseless dove flys around from one country to another in a vain quest for help.

Today we are sometimes afflicted with the same divided-heart syndrome. We believe on Jesus but we are reluctant to commit every area of our lives to Him. We go to church but don't want to live out our faith each day if it deprives us of worldly success or pleasure. A divided heart results in serious consequences. We do not please God and we do not attract non-believers to Christ. Secondly, it may take a crisis in our lives to show us our true spiritual decline. And third, we live unfulfilled lives, even though we flit from one worldly pleasure to another.

A divided heart multiplies our problems.

Our Daily Bread - August 23, 2003