Yesterday, I wrote from the human point of view. I talked about the justification for our rebelliousness.
Today, let us listen to the word of God. He promises to forgive and to heal. It is not enough just to forgive. God heals.
Today, let us listen to the word of God. He promises to forgive and to heal. It is not enough just to forgive. God heals.
Hosea is one of the twelve minor prophets. He was a prophet of the Northern Kingdom and in his time, the kingdom was in total chaos. Four of the six kings were murdered in coups. God told Hosea to marry a prostitute who engaged in affair after affair with other men. At last, Hosea was reconciled with this prostitute wife. His marriage was a symbol of the relation between God and Israel. Israel was married to God in the Sinai Covenant. Yet, being unfaithful to God, Israel continued to worship idols. Her life is a portrayal of our relationship with our Creator.
I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.
I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar;
his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon (Hosea 14:4-6 RSV, 14:5-7 MT).
Being rebellious exacts a price on us. It hurts to be rebellious. Wounds are inflicted and need to be healed. We are injured bodily. Interpersonal relationships are damaged. Our hearts are hardened and our souls worn and torn. We may be able to cure bodily injuries but we may not be courageous enough to mend fences. Worst of all, we have no medicine to heal our souls. We need God to dress our spiritual wounds.
God Himself will be as the dew to us. He will treat our souls gently but effectively. He Himself is our medicine. Then, we shall blossom, strike root, spread out our shoots and sent off fragrance. Praise be to God.
I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar;
his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon (Hosea 14:4-6 RSV, 14:5-7 MT).
Being rebellious exacts a price on us. It hurts to be rebellious. Wounds are inflicted and need to be healed. We are injured bodily. Interpersonal relationships are damaged. Our hearts are hardened and our souls worn and torn. We may be able to cure bodily injuries but we may not be courageous enough to mend fences. Worst of all, we have no medicine to heal our souls. We need God to dress our spiritual wounds.
God Himself will be as the dew to us. He will treat our souls gently but effectively. He Himself is our medicine. Then, we shall blossom, strike root, spread out our shoots and sent off fragrance. Praise be to God.
We tend to punish swiftly and harshly lest our children will forget and behave badly very soon. However, we should learn from the patience of God and deal with our delinquent gently like dew. Give them time to allow the cure to sink deeply into their hearts and souls. What we lack is patience, not time.
Dear Lord, You are our wonder medicine. Heal our spiritual wounds so that we may bear witness to Your faithfulness and mercy. Amen.
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