[My people] insist on turning away from me. They will cry out because of the yoke that is on them, but no one will lift it from them. “How can I give you up, Israel? How can I abandon you? Could I ever destroy you as I did Admah, or treat you as I did Zeboiim? My heart will not let me do it! My love for you is too strong. Hosea 11:7-8, GNT

The next day Jesus wanted to go into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and the Prophets: Jesus, Joseph’s son, from Nazareth.” Nathanael responded, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?” Philip said, “Come and see” (John 1:43-46, MSG).

       Last Sunday, I alluded to the distinction between taking care of others and caring for others. As parents, we are charged with the responsibility to take care of our children until they can take care of themselves. Apart from a failure to launch, this mark of maturity should reach its fulfillment by adulthood.

“Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching,

for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character,

so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good”

(2 Timothy 3:16-17, CEB).