Hosea 11

Now we begin the finale of Hosea, in which the next few chapters are called "God's Love for Israel."
Hosea 11:4 I drew them with human cords, with bands of love
God never forced us to follow Him, like someone pulling animals behind a cart. He offered kindness and affection, parental love. But no matter how much love he offered, Israel just pulled more away from God. They continued to worship their false idols and follow false leaders.

Hosea 11:4b Yet, though I stooped to feed my child, they did not know that I was their healer. 
Again, all the blessings Israel received from God were attributed to something/someone else. They never thanked God for the things the received, even though it came directly from him. Still today, people often relate their achievements to themselves, other idols, some company, etc., without understanding that if it were not for God, they would have nothing. Our skills and talents come from God, and with using those skills and talents, our jobs are blessings from God in which we should give thanks. Because through those jobs, we have been able to obtain shelter, food, clothes, etc. People attribute coming across money as luck. But that is another blessing God has laid out for us. Whether it's a penny or $100, it is from God. He is stooping down to help us.

This chapter continues with Israel still refusing to repent. It is not the sin itself that got Israel in trouble, but the fact that they refused to repent of it. They denied what they were doing was wrong, and in essence, slapped God in the face with this refusal. They refused to raise God up, instead lifted up Baal and other foreign gods. This is why God felt they should be punished. I have a time right now trying to get through to my young children about lying and being honest. I try to tell them that if they fess up to what they have done immediately, they wouldn't get into trouble about it (for the most part), but instead when they insist on lying and denying what happened, that is when there will be big consequences. I do not tolerate lying in the house, and thankfully the kids haven't figure out how to do it without getting caught.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has lying written as:
"A lie consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving." The Lord denounces lying as the work of the devil."
"Lying is the most direct offense against the truth. To lie is to speak or act against the truth in order to lead someone into error"
(2482-2483 http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a8.htm)

So if we are denying our success being from God, we are inevitably lying, and deserve the consequences we face for this sin. But luckily for us, God says, "How could I give you up (v8)?"God's love for us is so different than man's love. His love is holy and perfect, and beyond anything we can ever imagine. His son was sent to our world to live ridiculed and die on a cross so that our sins could be forgiven. God is calling us back. Even when we mess up something, even when we lie, even when we hide, he is calling us. Why? Because we are hid children. Thank God that he loves us that much.