The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

Hosea 14

The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. v9

Much of our culture has pushed aside God, viewing Him as some distant, uninvolved God that has no role in our life.  Absent God in our lives, we act without boundaries assuming this is freedom.  Yet ironically, we find ourselves more troubled than ever because of this "freedom".  For those of us who love and follow God, we understand that following God provides true freedom because we are no longer slaves to sin and death.

But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:17-18

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Hebrew 4:12-13

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are that You provide the freedom that we long for - freedom from the sting of sin and death...and You are with me...always. Thank You Jesus!  I desperately need You.  I am broken and I continue to sin.  I am lazy and selfish.  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength.  Please heal her of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, the church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.

Hosea 14

I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. v4

As a follow up to yesterday's post on how God is slow to anger and abounding love, here we have God promising to restore and heal the Israelites. 

Ultimately, however, we know where this goes and it takes God to send His one and only Son to save us (John 3:16).  Jesus will be victorious and Hosea prophesizes as such:

I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction? Hosea 13:14

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Acts 2:36

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Messiah and my Savior.  You came to rescue me and You did indeed!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such an act of love. I am lazy and selfish - forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Help us point Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You and my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man—the Holy One among you.

Hosea 11

My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man—the Holy One among you. v8-9

God is SO patient - He loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).  God pursues us, knowing full well that we are broken and sinful people.  He loves us SO much that He wants to save us from the sting of sin and death...even until the very end of times He pursues us.   Israel's story is our story - We are the ones that turn away from God and He is the one that forgives and saves.  He is "slow to anger, abounding in love".  We ALL turn away and He is always there, never changing loving us all the same.

Exodus 34:6

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 

 

Numbers 14:18

‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’ 

 

Nehemiah 9:17

They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, 

 

Psalm 86:15

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

 

Psalm 103:8

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

 

Joel 2:13

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. 

 

Jonah 4:2

He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a God You are, so full of mercy, patience, and love for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such efforts - what an amazing God You are!  I am lazy and selfish.  Please forgive me and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Help us point Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, the church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people[.]

Hosea 10

Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people[.] v13-14

When we think about turning away from God we do so by idolizing money, sex, careers, etc....the list is many.  Yet we often to see how we worship ourselves.  We can do this through seemingly innocent statements such as I don't need God, or I don't need Him today.  We all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and we need His daily bread (Proverbs 30:8, Matthew 6:11, Luke 11:3).  Also, it is important that apart from God we can do nothing.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

We must not only acknowledge that we need Jesus, but that we need Him for everything - every day.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who provides for all things and does so abundantly.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing.  I often go about my way without seeking You - please forgive me and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give myself and Lisa strength and wisdom.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.

Hosea 6

Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. v1-2

God is SO merciful and He offers to take us back despite our sin.  He knows we are broken and imperfect and He loves us just as we are and He wants more for us.  See also the Parable of the Lost (Prodigal) Son.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

We have life because He died for us - this is love.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

The story of the Israelites in Hosea is our story and the promise of healing and restoration is available to us all!

What a great God I have!

 My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are that You were willing to suffer and die for me, knowing everything about me, including my sin.  Thank You Jesus!  And You continue to love me regardless of my sin.  I am not worth such love.  I am harsh.  Please forgive me for my worry and help me turn from my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal her of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.

Hosea 3

Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes. v1

The Book of Hosea demonstrates:
- that God is fair and just
- that He is full of patience and mercy
- that He has a plan
- that He wants us to love others just as He loves us

God is fair and just in His discipline and punishment of us (Psalm 67:4) - just like the Israelites, we are often unfaithful.  God is full of patience and mercy and He gives us second chances (often many chances to repent) and instead of death (the wages of sin are death - Romans 6:23), we are spared (Jesus takes our place on the cross).  He has a plan for us:

However, as it is written:“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—

1 Corinthians 2:9

See also scripture here.

God also wants us to forgive and love others as He loves us.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who is fair and just, full of patience and mercy, and You have a great plan for us.  Thank You for all that You have done and all that You are for us.  I love You Jesus.  Thank You for adopting me as Your son.  I am undeserving.  I continue to sin and I am lazy and selfish.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and forgive and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31

Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. v31

No doubt I have a noble wife as described by Solomon in Proverbs 31.  

I must honor Lisa as I am commanded to in Ephesians:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. Ephesians 5:25-30

My Prayer: Jesus, You are a great God and You have blessed me with a wife of noble character.  I am blessed beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a blessing because I am broken and my sin persists.  I am often not at peace with others - even this morning!  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help me point Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, the church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.