how long?

How long does it take before God has had enough? It's an important question, but more important, I'd guess, for the people who never ask it.

Reading through 2 Kings 17, I was reminded by the story of King Hoshea that God will not tolerate sin forever. In Hoshea's case, he finally had enough of his people putting their faith in everything but him, and sent the King of Assyria as punishment. After three years of siege (a kind of house arrest that involved increasing shortages until finally starvation forced surrender) God's people were hauled off into exile.

And it was all avoidable. Here's what it says in verses 12-14: "They worshiped idols, though the Lord had said, 'You shall not do this.' The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: 'Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.' But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God."

How much trusting in other things is so much that God will do something drastic to get my attention? At what point does financial planning become reliance on my ability to earn and save? At what point does locking doors and owning guns become trusting in physical strength for my safety? At what point does swallowing whatever distasteful thing I have to in order for "my people" to gain political power become putting my faith in an earthly king?

Because God is patient, I sometimes forget how much my faithlessness hurts him. And I forget that he won't let me wander forever.