Coming Home

Daily Reading: Hosea 6

Come let us return to the Lord. (Hosea 6.1)

Devotional Thought: We may feel that our case – or another’s case – is too difficult for God.  That, however, is a lie from the devil.  Consider Hosea’s message in Chapter 6:

·       Let us return to the Lord (v. 1).  God has given his best effort by sending his Son to us.  It is now up to us to decide.

·       After two days he will revive us. (v. 2) When we return, he immediately accepts us.  It may take time, however, for that restoration to work its way completely though our lives.  Accept it by faith.  Do not give up.  Do not lose hope.

·       We may live in his presence (v. 2).  When we return to the Lord and he restores and revives us, we immediately are alive in his holy presence and must not continue living in an environment of sin and rebellion.

·       Press on to know him (v. 3). God is our only Savior.  As long as we hold out for another - "more attractive" - offer, we will not fully return to him.

·       As surely as the dawn (v. 3).  When I got up this morning, the day was beginning to dawn.  I wasn’t worried about the sun rising.  And God is more dependable than the sun!

·       He will come to us like the rains that water the earth (v. 3). "There shall be showers of blessing!"  When we return to the Lord, the waters of his mercy and grace fall upon our lives and cause us to spring back to life.

May God bless you in your returning today!

Prayer: "I've wandered far away from God; Now I'm coming home.  The paths of sin too long I've trod.  Lord, I'm coming home.  Coming home, coming home, Nevermore to roam.  Open wide Thine arms of love; Lord, I'm coming home." Amen.  (W. J. Kirkpatrick.)

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 81.8-16

"Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”