I will heal their waywardness
and love them freely,
for my anger has turned away from them.
I will be like the dew to Israel;
he will blossom like a lily.
Like a cedar of Lebanon
he will send down his roots;
his young shoots will grow.
Hosea 14:5-6a
Read the whole book of Hosea this week. Oh, how I love that book! The story of God wooing Israel back to Himself is just beautiful.
We get the picture of Israel's unfaithfulness to God through Gomer's unfaithfulness to Hosea, and God's amazing love for His people - as He commands Hosea to take Gomer back again, and again.
The reality is, though - it was a painful time for Israel. They went through seriously hard times. But God was using it all for the purpose of bringing His unfaithful people back into a love relationship with Himself. He knew just what to do.
The day I finished reading Hosea, I was praying for a dear friend who is struggling with faith right now. I considered what God did for the Israelites in Hosea and was about to pray that He would do whatever was necessary to draw my friend back to Himself.
But then I realized what I was about to say. What if God did for my friend something like He did in Hosea? My life could be significantly affected by such a move. I began to wonder, Do I want to invite hard times into my life by praying this way???
OK, call me selfish, but I seriously asked myself that question.
Then it was as if God said to me, Karen, do you trust Me?
I remembered the beauty of the restoration in Hosea. God's love for His people spoke tenderly to me. And I knew I needed to move ahead and pray that prayer.
God had reminded me that His will, the end toward which He is moving us, is good and perfect. And along the way, my comfort is of far less importance than my friend's faith.
May you rest in His arms of love this weekend, trusting Him more and more with each moment that passes.
See you back here Monday!
6 comments:
Beautiful, thought-provoking post, Karen!
Have a WONDERFUL weekend!
Patricia nyc
"My comfort is far less important than a friends faith."
That's huge! Words to live by.
You know, I have often wondered what we are inviting into our lives, by prayer. I am so glad I'm not the only one thinking in such a way, because I feel like the most selfish person after I have these thoughts.
Have a great weekend Karen. Blessings to your family.
Karen, seriously, I know I say this alot about you but God is really using you for me! Dare I ask why He chose you? I don't mean that in a negative way, but I don't know like we only communicate electronically. You are not able to physically grab hold of me and shake some sense into me like other friends have.
Hmmm, maybe I need to just stop trying to figure it out and go with it.
I'm gonna read Hosea and get back at ya!
smooches,
Larie
thnak you for making Hosea a little bit more for me. i struggle with the ot prophets and really applying them to ME! i don't get it, i don't God's emotions, i don't understand WHAT in the world is actually happening over half the time. (i know, I'm studying isaiah, but it really DOES take me a week in each chapter to figure out what's going on!) they are words. words are powerful if you get the meaning behind them. thanks for taking the time to think about them and make them more!
I have asked myself that question a few times before too. Trusting Him with you my friend.
Love ya!
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