"The more I called them, the more they went from me"....

This morning I was reading Hosea 11 and a few things jumped out at me:
"The more I called them, the more they went from me."  And... "I took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them.  I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love.  I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks.  I bent down to them and fed them."

This made me reflect on the MANY times that God had called me in my past and how, when He did call...the more I ran from Him!  After all...I knew better than God what was good for me!! Didn't I???  Boy, if I knew then what I know now!  If I only knew then, how much He loves this little miserable sinner that I was then and am now!  Even though I ran from Him, He STILL took me up into His arms and led me with cords of human kindness and with bands of love!  He STILL lifted his little sinner to His cheek and bent down to feed me!  Little by little, because He knew that I had to be spoon fed a little bit at a time or I wouldn't have been able to believe His love for me.  It would have scared me too much to know it all at once.  I would not have been able to believe that He could love someone like me.  Thank you, Lord for not giving up on me!  You have finally become first in my life...I'm only sorry that it took me so long to realize that ONLY by putting You first, that ONLY THEN will my life be in order.  I can't do anything without you and your love!  Lord, please don't ever stop picking up your little girl and holding her to Your cheek!