🏳️‍🌈✝️ Be Completely Turned

Apostolic Faith Church

04/20/2018

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Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. – Hosea 7:8

One morning, Julie had many commitments to attend to. She prepared breakfast in a hurry and set it before some very hungry family members. Everyone was at the table ready to eat. Rose, her eight-year-old daughter, was particularly excited because this was her favorite meal. She even volunteered to say the grace—she wanted to pray a short prayer and get it over with so she could quickly get to the food. She was known to do that whenever her favorite meal was served because she did not want her daddy or older brother to pray long prayers. 

Prayer was soon over, and before anyone else could get to it, Rose quickly reached for the syrup. She poured it over her pancake, grabbed the fork, and tried to cut a piece. Then she cried out in frustration, “Mom, my pancake is half-baked!” It was only then that Julie remembered that in the rush of the morning she had forgotten to turn the pancakes when she took them from the oven. They were completely uncooked on the other side, and therefore inedible. She made a mental note to never again leave pancakes unturned. 

In today’s focus verse, the people of Ephraim are referred to as a “cake not turned.” This was an illustration of what happened when their faith in God was mixed with ungodly beliefs. The result was a faith that was totally useless, like a pancake cooked on one side but still doughy on the other. 

Because the people would not allow divine grace to touch them an all sides, they suffered great defeat. In the rest of Hosea 7 we read that they could not decipher between good and evil and their strength was lost to strangers. Ephraim was unable to receive physical and spiritual healing. They could not claim the promises that were theirs for the taking.

To be victorious as Christians, we need all that the Lord has for us. We will have to let go of ourselves and let God have His way with us. Then God will be able to bestow His full blessing upon us and, like perfect pancakes, we will be palatable to taste and useful in His service.