A Willing Participant

Hosea 5:4
4"Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the Lord.

Ouch! A harsh word given to the prophet Hosea from the Lord about the people of Israel. Israel was continually disobedient and turning their backs on God. Israel began worshiping the idols of their neighbors. But truthfully, when we are willfully doing something that we know is not of God but continue to do it, we refuse God. We refuse what He says as a child that doesn't heed a parent's warning. But a spirit of prostitution? A prostitute willingly gives their body over and over to be used in exchange for money usually for survival but some for recreation. If we are willfully committing sin, then we are giving ourselves over and over to be used and infiltrated. We come to a place that God's word and judgement no longer matter. All that matters is what we're doing at that moment. All that matters is that next hit, that next high, that next lay, that next taste, who do we have to sell down the river to get that paper, what we can get our hands on, etc. We no longer recognize the consequences as being relevant to our lives. At least not until it happens. The out of sight out of mind complex takes over. We're not living the consequence so "we'll just deal with it when it comes." Being a willing participant in sin is a recipe for disaster. Sooner or later, the consequences show themselves. Sooner or later, we have to face the Lord. Just because we refuse to the think about the consequences of our actions doesn't make them any less real. It just means the impact will be twice as great.