Hosea 4:16 For Israel slides back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place. It is a striking fact to which careful observers of the feathered tribe will bear witness, that no birds are able to fly backward. A bird may allow itself to fall backward by slowing its wings, until its weight overcomes their sustaining power, as a swallow will do from the eaves of a house. But the bird can do no other than fly forward, and but few with the rarest skill can stand still in the air. Now if mankind would only "consider the birds of the air " in the way in which Christ enjoined, there would be considerably less backsliding than there is. Like the wings of the soaring eagle, the wings of faith were never intended for flying backward. A minister's little girl and her playmate were talking about serious things. "Do you know what a backslider is?" she questioned. "Yes; it's a person that used to be a Christian and isn't," said the playmate promptly. "But what do you s'pose makes them call them backsliders? Oh, that's easy. You see, when people are good they go to church and sit up in front. When they get a little tired of being good they slide back a seat, and keep on sliding till they get clear back to the door. After awhile they slide clear out and never come to church at all." Parallel Verses KJV: For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place. |
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