Today’s Reading: Hosea 11-14

The love story of Hosea and Gomer is A STORY OF MERCY. Hosea’s love for Gomer was sacrificial, life-affirming, passionate and redemptive. What a great example of Christ’s love for us! While we were still sinners, Christ died for us! His love for us is sacrificial — He gave His life on the cross! Three days later, He conquered death and rose to life in order that we might experience eternal life. His passionate love for us is displayed in the greatest act of history! His heart of mercy held a PLAN OF REDEMPTION. Jesus Christ is alive and loves us with a redeeming love that restores us.

WHERE ARE YOU ON HIS MERCIFUL PATH OF REDEMPTION?

God desires to have an intimate relationship with us.

I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me, more than I want burnt offerings. – Hosea 6:6

God generously blesses our lives, yet we tend to turn away from all He has for us.

But the richer the people get, the more pagan altars they build.
The more bountiful their harvests, the more beautiful their sacred pillars.
The hearts of the people are fickle; they are guilty and must be punished. – Hosea 10:1-2

“I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt.
You must acknowledge no God but me, for THERE IN NO OTHER SAVIOR.
I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land.
But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me.” – Hosea 13:4-6

God calls us to a life of righteousness.

I said, “Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love.
Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.” – Hosea 10:12

Out of His great mercy, God punishes us with consequences to our unfaithfulness.

God’s discipline is for the purpose of restoring us to a right relationship with Him — the relationship He sent His Son to reconcile. He punishes us as a form of redirection, because He loves us and wants us to experience His perfect plan for our lives. He knows that when we sin we live in slavery to our sinful nature, but He wants us to experience true freedom in Christ.

“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.” – Hosea 6:1-3

God’s judgment is always followed by the hope of restoration.

The Lord says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness;
my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever…
My people will again live under my shade…O Israel, stay away from idols!
I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you.
I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.”
The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. – Hosea 14:4-9b

IT’S WORTH ASKING AGAIN — WHERE ARE YOU ON THIS PATH OR JOURNEY?

Are you enjoying an intimate relationship with God, resting in His plan and His purpose? Are you turning away from all of His blessings in our lives and continuing to search for something the world has to offer? Is God even now transforming your Valley of Trouble into a Gateway of Hope? Are you living once again under His shade, where the tree is always green and He is bearing fruit in your life?

Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. – Hosea 6:3a