Hosea 14:1-9
Wednesday, 15 December 2021
"I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them." Hosea 14:4
The book of Hosea gives us a clear picture of God’s character in a balanced way. It is a picture mingled with God’s judgment and love. The very life of Hosea had a resemblance of God’s character -in His love for His people and desire to have an intimate relationship, allowing no intruder into the life of His chosen people. When they sin, He disciplines them as a loving Father and brings them back and restores the relationship. This was repeated several times in the dealings of God with Israel.
After reading Hosea it is natural to think of Jesus, who loved us even when we were sinners and poured out His life on our behalf on the Cross of Calvary. Jesus shows us His unconditional love and the very desire of God to bring us back into an eternal relationship with Him. With this thought in mind, let us approach today’s reading. Let us also check our own lives in this regard, to see if we have wandered away from God and need any coming back.
True repentance basically has three distinctive parts:
Understanding and acknowledging our sin (Hos.14:1)
Appealing to God for forgiveness (Hos.14:2)
Returning to Him in truth and acknowledging His love (Hos.14:3-4)
The root of true repentance lies in the unconditional love of God. Even when we are sinners- living in our sinfulness, His love compels us to return to Him. He works in different ways- in and around our lives to bring to our notice, where we have gone wrong and helps us see His forgiveness and loving restoration awaiting us, if we return to Him. Today’s reading clearly shows us God’s ceaseless love and His desire to have His people back with Him in a true love relationship.
During the time of Hosea, when this prophetic message was given to them, the people of Israel had gone back to Baal worship. They had done heinous sins against God and deserved only severe punishment from God. But the heart of God melts with mercy and reaches out to them with an offer to heal their apostasy (backsliding) and build them up on blessings showered from heaven. Even though this repeated message is heard from heaven, we down here, go astray in our own sinful nature. This message portrayed throughout the Bible has culminated in one final act of the display of God’s love on the cross- Jesus died for our sake! This love compels every sinner in this world to return to His Creator and be saved! His saving grace flows out to every heart that is ready to accept this immeasurable abundance of love!
Dear reader/listener, what is the condition of your life today? Have you backslid or gone astray from God? If so this very morning, God’s heart yearns to get you back to Him and restore the relationship. He will heal your apostasy. Apostasy being a disease that affects our very soul, it needs a healing from the Savior to bring it back to its original purified and dignified state. If you are ready, God is waiting to heal your apostasy. Will you bow before Him in true repentance?
Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I truly understand my state today and repent of it. I appeal for Your mercy and love to forgive me and heal my backsliding. I thank You because You have forgiven me through Your Son Jesus Christ. In Jesus name, Amen.