July 4th, 21

Today’s readings are II Kings 15-16, Hosea 1, and Hebrews 1.  We are reading through the New Living Translation.

God’s final word does not come to us through the prophets.  Heb 1:1 says, Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.

No matter the ways and times, the people of Israel still continued to be unfaithful to God, behaving like a prostitute to her husband.  We see this in the strange and tragic story of Hosea and Gomer.  Because of Israel’s continued rebellion and insistence on behaving like a prostitute toward God, the words of judgement were spoken over her, – Lo-ruhamah—‘Not loved’, Lo-ammi—‘Not my people’.  It’s hard to imagine any words more tragic than these.  But God’s story doesn’t end with these tragic words that came through this prophet.  No.  His final word is spoken through his Son.  Hebrews 1:2 says:

And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.

He has pronounced a different word over us and it’s not judgement. No.  The words he speaks over us are life.  They are words of forgiveness, peace and life.  They are the words My People – Loved.

I’m so grateful that God has made a way, not through the prophets but through the Son, to make me right again. The Son has made a way to heal me and make me new.  That’s what he’s doing, over and over again, throughout the world.  New words are being spoken over broken lives, every day.  When the Gospel is heard, and responded to by faith, words of love and belonging take root in people’s hearts, and it changes everything.

Hold to the Truth of the words that have been spoken over you – not words of judgement but words of life, forgiveness, healing, hope, and grace.  Let them take root in your life.

JULY 5, 2018  We’ve Been Bought Back

Today’s readings are Hosea 2 – 5 and Hebrews 2.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

We’ve been bought back.  We’ve been fought for.  And He has won.  Hosea compares our rebellion towards God to that of prostitution, and the accompanying anguish of a husband whose wife has become a prostitute.  This is the kind of anguish that God feels towards his people who have rebelled against him and turned away.  

Hosea is told to make this clear to everyone by marrying a prostitute.  But this prostitute continues in her prostitution.  Hosea is not told to give up on her.  He’s told to go and buy her back, to pay the price for her freedom.  Hosea 3:2 says,

You are loved!