Hi everyone,
Felt ministered by today's devotion on Our Daily Bread on Hosea 14, Come Back.
Besides talking about repentence and returning to the Lord, it does present to us ultimate a choice between life with and life without God. As Dr Bekker brings to our attention, it is ultimately our choice.
Hosea concludes his book with Chap 14 and speaks to me of the fruits of coming back to God:
Hosea 14 (NKJV)
1 O Israel, return to the LORD your God,
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;
2 Take words with you,
And return to the LORD.
Say to Him,
“ Take away all iniquity;
Receive us graciously,
For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.
3 Assyria shall not save us,
We will not ride on horses,
Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’
For in You the fatherless finds mercy.”
4 “ I will heal their backsliding,
I will love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from him.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
He shall grow like the lily,
And lengthen his roots like Lebanon.
6 His branches shall spread;
His beauty shall be like an olive tree,
And his fragrance like Lebanon.
7 Those who dwell under his shadow shall return;
They shall be revived like grain,
And grow like a vine.
Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 “ Ephraim shall say, ‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’
I have heard and observed him.
I am like a green cypress tree;
Your fruit is found in Me.”
9 Who is wise?
Let him understand these things.
Who is prudent?
Let him know them.
For the ways of the LORD are right;
The righteous walk in them,
But transgressors stumble in them.
God's Promise to Us:
With blessings.
James
Felt ministered by today's devotion on Our Daily Bread on Hosea 14, Come Back.
Besides talking about repentence and returning to the Lord, it does present to us ultimate a choice between life with and life without God. As Dr Bekker brings to our attention, it is ultimately our choice.
Hosea concludes his book with Chap 14 and speaks to me of the fruits of coming back to God:
Hosea 14 (NKJV)
1 O Israel, return to the LORD your God,
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;
2 Take words with you,
And return to the LORD.
Say to Him,
“ Take away all iniquity;
Receive us graciously,
For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.
3 Assyria shall not save us,
We will not ride on horses,
Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’
For in You the fatherless finds mercy.”
4 “ I will heal their backsliding,
I will love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from him.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
He shall grow like the lily,
And lengthen his roots like Lebanon.
6 His branches shall spread;
His beauty shall be like an olive tree,
And his fragrance like Lebanon.
7 Those who dwell under his shadow shall return;
They shall be revived like grain,
And grow like a vine.
Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 “ Ephraim shall say, ‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’
I have heard and observed him.
I am like a green cypress tree;
Your fruit is found in Me.”
9 Who is wise?
Let him understand these things.
Who is prudent?
Let him know them.
For the ways of the LORD are right;
The righteous walk in them,
But transgressors stumble in them.
God's Promise to Us:
- We will find mercy (v3)
- God will turn His anger away from us and love us freely (4)
- God will be to us as refreshing as dew (v5)
- We will grow well and be established well in Him (v5)
- We will grow to be beautiful and fragrant to others (v6)
- We will bring many to return to the Lord and they too will be restored and be fragrant to others (v7)
- We will bear fruit in God just as we are reminded to abide in the vine (v8)
- We, who are righteous, will walk in the way of the Lord while the unrighteous will stumble (v9)
With blessings.
James
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