Hosea 6:2-3
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 the dawn or the coming of the rains in the early spring.
God wants us to call out to Him, asking for forgiveness. He wants us to know Him so that we can live with Him eternally. If we call out to Him, He will answer us with His unfailing love and forgiveness.
Hosea 6:6
"I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings."
God wants to have a deep relationship with us. He doesn't just want us to come to church on Sunday, sing songs, and put money in the basket. He wants a personal relationship with each of us, and He wants us each to pour out our hearts to Him, and get to know Him through daily prayer and reading of His Word (which is like a huge letter written personally from God FOR YOU).
The next couple chapters talk about how much Israel has broken God's heart by sinning against Him, and all the punishments they deserve. It even talks about how we can get to a point where there is "no chance of return". After reading those chapters, I don't understand how anyone can be unafraid of God! Yet, I continue to sin, and disappoint Him everyday. How amazing is it that God is still willing to forgive us after all we've done against Him?!
It absolutely blows my mind how much love God has for me. If I was the only person on earth, God still would've sent His Son to die for me. That's a lot of love!
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Hosea 11-14
3 comments:
Hosea 10:1
How prosperous Israel is—
a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit.
But the richer the people get,
the more pagan altars they build.
The more bountiful their harvests,
the more beautiful their sacred pillars.
This reminds me of present day North America, and we are rich here too. Do I put God first? Or do I deal with my own issues first and then give God my left over time?
Hosea 7:9:
Worshiping foreign gods has sapped their strength, but they don't even know it. Their hair is grey, but they don't realize they're old and weak.
Sinning is often a slow fade. We don't realize how much we have aged until we look at a picture from years past, and the same can be said of our growth or falling away in our faith. We need to be diligent in seeking God and doing what pleases Him, or we will slip gradually away from Him.
Great thoughts Emma, and I appreciated the comments so far as well. Gods love for us and His desire to be in right relationship with us, sinners all, is overwhelming.
Hosea 7:6 “The people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners,
making themselves as worthless as a half-baked cake!
Have we become so similar to the culture around us that our testimony is worthless?
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