Scripture:
Hosea 6:1-3 ESV
[1] “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. [2] After two days, he will revive us; on the third day, he will raise us up, that we may live before him. [3] Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Observation:
Hosea is one of my favorite books in the bible. The reason why is because he got a little taste of how GOD loves us. I believe I could go into great detail on this, but at this point, I just want to bring out the point. The cry of GOD’S heart is that we return to HIM. That’s HIS desire. He wants fellowship… with HIS people. Hosea was speaking for the LORD. He could see how far away for GOD they had gotten. GOD’S hand of protection and provision had been removed in an attempt to get them to return. But they had not listened up to this point. HE wanted to heal them, but that had not returned to HIM. As a result of their actions, they had been broken. But GOD is a GOD of restoration. HIS desire was not to leave them in that state. The only requirement was that they acknowledge HIM as LORD. So let me break this down really easy and simple. Verse one is a cry for acknowledgment. Verse two is revival, and verse three is restoration. That’s GOD’S heart. We can see this in a lot of the story of King David. A man considered to be after GOD’S heart. Not that he didn’t mess up, but when he did. He acknowledged it and returned to GOD, asking HIM to renew the right spirit in him.
Application:
Have you gotten away from what GOD wants for you? Are you chasing after something that is taking your attention away from HIM and HIS will for your life? The answer is simple. However, it may be very difficult. Return to GOD. Just acknowledge your guilt so HE can revive the right spirit in you. HIS desire is for you. HE wants fellowship with you. That’s why HE sent HIS son… so HE could have a relationship… WITH YOU. Do you know that if you were the only one who ever accepted Jesus as LORD and SAVIOR HE still would have wet to the cross? Yes, it’s that personal. You are on HIS mind. Right now, as I write, HE (the GOD of heaven and earth) is thinking of you. If you have gotten away from HIM. HE is calling your name. Let me explain how you can hear it. It comes by a little tug on your heartstrings. Maybe a thought that says, “How did he know?” Now the important part. It’s easy to fix. Just acknowledge your sin before GOD. In other words, return to HIM. HE will revive you and restore you. Then, hold on tight to HIS robe because HE is not going to leave you where HE found you.
Prayer:
Father, you know us better than we do. Help us to see if we have fallen away from you. Because if we have, we want to acknowledge that and get back on track. Tuck us tightly under the shadows of your wings. Our desire is for you, and we never want to get so far away from you that we don’t see it. Let us run back to you. Father, we acknowledge right now that you are LORD and your standards are so much higher than ours. We do not want to fall short, but we also know that we do. The closer we walk with you, the less that will happen. Help us to stay in step with the Holy Spirit. Write your word on our hearts so that we might not sin against you, and if in fact we do show us so that we can return to YOU quickly. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.