"But then I will win her back once again." Hosea 2:14b
I did not get past the heading of today's reading without falling under conviction. It bears repeating, "The LORD's love for unfaithful Israel." I immediately restated the heading as, The LORD's love for unfaithful Wendy." Don't think I have climbed back in a pit for a party. I have learned, the closer I walk with the Lord, the more apparent my sin becomes to me and the picker He gets about my sin. Though I am saved, have been redeemed and forgiven, there are times when I am unfaithful.
Several points grabbed me. Allow me to share.
- "They have exchanged the glory of God for the shame of idols." Hosea 4:7
What have I exchanged for God's glory?
- "They offer sacrifices to idols on the mountaintops." Hosea 4:13
Where does my help come from?
- "The arrogance of Israel testifies against her." Hosea 5:5
Does my testimony hurt or help me?
- "Worshiping foreign gods has sapped their strength but they don't even know it." Hosea 7:9
How am I spending my strength?
- "Israel has built many altars to take away sin but these very altars became places for sinning." Hosea 8: 11
What have I built for myself that has become a place of sin in my life?
Our hope is in Hosea 2:14. He wins us back after He leads us to the desert. While we are there He speaks tenderly to us. He will return what was taken. Oh, and my favorite part, He transforms our valley of trouble into a gateway of hope.
I know this passage is addressed as prophecy to Israel but I am an adopted child of same God. I have been lead to the desert and brought back from the valley of trouble to a gateway of hope. Today, I sing praises, For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you. [me] emphasis mine. Isaiah 12:6
I know this passage is addressed as prophecy to Israel but I am an adopted child of same God. I have been lead to the desert and brought back from the valley of trouble to a gateway of hope. Today, I sing praises, For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you. [me] emphasis mine. Isaiah 12:6
7 Comments:
I agree with you Wendy. I also read today's reading and used it as a reflection of myself and my shortcomings. I needed to stop and see where I was "prostituting" myself against my Lord.
I underlined Hosea 2:23 - God's promise to call us "Gentiles" as His own so we can reply "You are our God". Amen.
I also noticed and underlined so many references to "knowing" God. That rings true for me. I feel there are many who call themselves Christians - our churches are full of them; but to me the true Church of Christ are those sheep who hear their Shepherd's voice. Big difference. Know God. Hear His voice.
Big family weekend for me - niece gets married and I have a houseful staying here. Should be fun!
Morgen
Good Morning~
I was so wrapped in what Hosea was saying that I went on and read tomorrow's reading as well as today's. Is anyone else seeing how this applies to our own country as well as Israel?
For example:
Hosea 4:1b-3 "There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land. You make vows and break them; you kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere-one murder after another. That is why your land is in morning, and everyone is wasting away. Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky, and fish of the sea are disappearing."
Hosea 4:7b,12 "They have exchanged the glory of God for the shame of idols. They ask a piece of wood for advice! They think a stick can tell them the future! Longing after idols has made them foolish."
Hosea 8:4b "By making idols for themselves from their silver and gold, they have brought about their own destruction." This verse really got me. What is our biggest idol-MONEY! The idols of money and self have replaced God in our society.
Morgen I agree with what you have posted and that so many people go to church but don't have that personal relationship. I think that goes hand in hand with what God was revealing to my heart this morning. As Hosea writes in 11:7, "They call me the Most High, but they don't truly honor me."
I pray that as a people we will see how we have gone so far away from God after he built this nation. We are the strongest nation for a reason and the more we turn our backs on God the more His protection is taken away. God help us!
Hope you all have a wonderful day!
Brandee, TN
Happy Friday Dear Friends~
Thank you dear Wendy for your post today! "But then I will win her back once again." "once again"
Over and over God is so faithful and loving. When we don't make time to talk to God and we allow our busyness to take over our day, I'm sure God is saddened. Heartbroken. Crushed. Disappointed. But, yet He continues to pursue us, to seek our favor, to woo us back to Him.
I woke up a bit early this morning and as I lay in bed I began praying for a few of my special friends that are needing extra prayers right now. I was overcome with such a closeness to God. I prayed, Oh Lord, I never want to leave Your presence. I want my love for You to grow stronger as each new day unfolds.
God has given us His guide, telling us how He wants us to live out each day. The Bible. You would think everyone would want to read and re-read and re-read every page of the Book. It is not something we can ignore to read daily. It is not something I can choose to ignore if my desire is to follow His Will. The more I daily read and put God first, the more I hear his voice. The more he invites me into His Presence. The more I hear His voice. The more I see His blessings. The more I see His Glory. "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." John 14:21
"The people are being destroyed because they don't know me." "They have forgotten the laws of your God." [Hosea 4:6] Lord, may we never "exchange the glory of God for the shame of idols."
Thank you dear Lord for being my wooer! Oh, my strongest desire right now is that I earnestly seek You with all of my heart. Thank you for your unfailing love and compassion. Lord, keep my heart longing for you. You are my God. Each day I want to know you more.I want to be a cheerleader for you! Encouraging those around me and helping those around me know you.
Hugs and prayers coming your way, dear girlfriends! Lori - AZ
Good morning to all from interior Alaska where the sun is shining around the clock and God has been painting constantly breathtaking pictures and panoramas!
I do my readings faithfully every day and then anxiously log on to see where the reading has taken all of you.
Though I am not able to comment every day, I am blessed by all of you. I am enriched by all of you and I crave your input:
Wendy's leadership & spirit-led guidance for us all. Passionate and dedicated teachings, and the humility to teach that she is learning as she is teaching.
Joy's eloquence. Bouquets of words that never fail in their beauty.
Lori's exuberance. A true cheerleader for the sheer joy of God's word and the sunshine of his presence.
...and all of you...those of you reporting in like me (sporadically) or more often...I love your voices and what God puts on your heart to share.
My prayer is to dig deeper into this blog community...share more of myself and talk amongst you...
Today is my last day on this job and I do not begin the next until August 01...in the meantime, I am packing up this household and moving to my newly purchased condo in southeast AK...I thank God for the accountability this study has given me...every day God shows me through the readings and through all of you that I am right on target...on the path he prepared for me.
I just realized I haven't even commented on the reading...but I must sign off...*sigh*
Happy Friday with love to all you sister sojourners,
Liz
AK
Oh Liz I want to be there to see God's painting across your Alaskan skies. Sounds so beautiful. Truly a time and a place one can feel the presence of our God!
I loved the call to repentance Hosea 6:1-3 "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us.
He has injured us; now He will bandage our wounds.
In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in His presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord!
Let us press on to know Him.
He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring. (love the imagery in these verses)
The readings today also remind me of God bringing in the Gentiles, today's world and prophesy of end times. "At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself. I will show love to those I called 'not loved,' And to those I called 'Not my people,I will say 'Now you are my people.' And they will reply. You are my God! Hosea 2:23
Romans 11:25-27 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
"The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." There is more in Romans about Israel if you want to read on about them being grafted back in and will be a part of God's kingdom.
Great is our God! Enjoying working in my garden...loving the summer flowers as they display their beauty! My zinnias are coming up. I am always in awe of God's plan in a seed. Inside each seed is the genetic plan for what is to grow...it's height, the color, the variety. To think such a tiny seed produces such a tall plant with multi flowers shoots on it. Each flower head contains hundreds of seeds (or at least it seem like hundreds, never really counted them)LOL All from one tiny seed planted into God's earth, watered by his plan for rain and the warmth of the sunshine to grow.
So many God moments and lessons in gardening to share with others especially children.
Praying for a group of women from my chuch traveling to St. Louis and attending the "Women of Faith" Conference. Praying it is weekend of inspiration for them all!
Have a wonderful weekend! I keep hearing deep within God knows the whole picture...trust Him in all circumstances. Amen!
Love from Debbie in Illinois
Oh Wendy, the questions you pose here caused me to pause and ponder. I too have been unfaithful, but so thankful for a faithful God. I have failed Him, but He will NEVER fail me.
My focus today was entirely on the Hosea 2:14 verse. I loved the idea of God leading me into the desert, as opposed to me wandering in myself. He draws me away, by myself, to speak tenderly to me. How precious. The Lord desires to spend some one-on-one time without the distractions of daily living. The routine, schedules, busyness, family, friends are all blocking my view of Him, so He leads and escorts me to a place of nothingness so that I can refocus, listen and be loved upon. It's about relationship. Mine and His.
The word 'tenderly' is so beautiful. It means lovingly, being considerate and protective, characterized by gentle emotions. Can't you just feel God's arms around you as you rest in His embrace down this weary road?
The verse goes on to say that God will transform her Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. God will take whatever circumstance or situation that is breaking your heart and make it become an entrance of possibility. It is a door that opens to better things ahead. God takes a negative situation and uses it as an opportunity.
Desert dwelling has a purpose and a plan. My sandals have walked this road. Sometimes by choice. Sometimes by necessity. When I'm parched by the drought, Lord shower me with your living water that brings cool refreshment. May I surrender to its walk and may Your Son always be the greatest blessing in this arid, lifeless land.
Debbie, Liz, Lori, Brandee and Morgen thanks for all you have shared. Each one of you has added such a precious nugget to our reading.
Jodie, if you read this, thanks for your prayers as well. I am absolutely thrilled to see you are a fellow Canadian!!!! We share the same Province!!!!
Thank you all for your continued prayers for my family. I am trusting the Lord as we walk this desert road together.
Hugs,
Joy
hi all
This is my first time to use this blog and already am really excited by what I have read hope to use this to deepen my relationship with God and also to dig deeper into his word
Todays devoution was such an encouragement for me to know I can depend on his faithfulness in these uncertain times
have a rest filled day
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