14 “But then I will win her back once again.
I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.
15 I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope.
16 When that day comes,” says the LORD, “you will call me ‘my husband’ instead of ‘my master.’
17 O Israel, I will wipe the many names of Baal from your lips, and you will never mention them again.
20 I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the LORD.
There is nothing more difficult in this life than to learn to love again once a relationship has been broken. Well, except for maybe admitting that we were the ones who broke the relationship. In our relationship with God, we see through Hosea’s story God’s incredible love for us, and also the repetitive nature of our hearts to fail to love Him back continually.
If we are really going to acknowledge that we need to return to God, then we also have to be willing to acknowledge that we have dishonored Him. We all love to ask God for greater things for our lives in prayer, but a true time of prayer involves giving up our pride and telling God about how we have been unfaithful to Him.
The great news is that He also wants us back. He doesn’t want to be a cruel master, but a husband that forgives His bride for all that she has done against Him. And just as a husband and wife have not truly tapped into how close they can be until they start praying together, we will not know God as fully as we can until we are willing to admit our unfaithfulness to Him.
Pray: Jesus, I want to be closer to You than I am. I admit that I have fallen short of loving you and remembering you the way I should.
Blogged by Pastor Reagan Wagoner
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