Close to the Cheek

I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.  To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them...I am God and not a human; I am the Holy One and I am among you.  I will not come against you in anger.  Hosea 11:4, 9

In Hosea, the Israelites were just being AWFUL....the word the writer used to describe the way in which the Israelites behaved means “purposefully rebellious.”  They purposefully were going out of their way to do exactly opposite what God wanted.  Embarrassingly, I find myself purposefully doing what I ought not all the time.  Purposefully picking a fight with my husband because somehow I think proving myself right would feel satisfying.  Purposefully sharing a juicy morsel of gossip because I want someone else to know I am in the know.  Purposefully.  And yet God treats them- me- with “human kindness.”

Human kindness.  What does human kindness mean?  It seems to me that human kindness means treating people in a way that appeals to their human selves...meeting their physical needs AND their physical desires, meeting their emotional needs AND their emotional desires.  I know we talk a lot about how God does what’s best for us...what we really mean when we say that is that He does stuff that quote on quote “builds character” but actually makes us miserable.  I don’t think that’s Him.  He does allow us to experience consequences of purposeful rebellion, but what He gives us is not crappy gifts, but good gifts.  A husband that’s kind AND good looking.  Dinner that fills our belly AND tastes good.  A friend that listens well AND is fun to be around.  A relationship with Himself that is intellectual AND emotional.

I like that God makes a point to distinguish himself from humans.  Even though He’s mad and sad at the Israelites, He refuses to come against them in anger.  Wow.  That’s a rather spectacular promise.  God will not come at us in anger.  Period.  It makes all the “sinners in the hand of an angry God” talk seem a bit off mark.  Because our God is not human and isn’t bound to our human vindictiveness.  Our God holds us close to His cheek- even when we are awful.  I know all about that “close to the cheek” business.  The best part of every day is holding Everette close to my cheek- smelling her milky baby breath, petting her downey barely-there blond hair, tickling her chubby little toes. I have explosive affection for this kid- Mama Bear “I just want to sit around and make her smile” affection.  And that’s how God feels about us except for on a much grander scale.