Irvin Wasswa- Tylertown Campus Pastor LHBC

Hosea 6:1-3

“Come, let us return to the Lord;

    for he has torn us, that he may heal us;

    he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

2 After two days he will revive us;

    on the third day he will raise us up,

    that we may live before him.

3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;

    his going out is sure as the dawn;

The Book of Hosea is one of the 12 minor prophets in the Old Testament. The book chronicles the history of Israel and their unfaithfulness to the Lord God. Their struggles with idolatry and choosing to spit in the face of God by how they lived grieved the heart of God. He called a man named Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer who he knew was going to be unfaithful to him, but he was to remain faithful to her. In doing so, God wanted to demonstrate His relationship with His people the Israelites. Though they were constantly unfaithful to him, running to other gods, God was going to choose to continue to be faithful to them.

In chapter 6 we see a picture of God’s mercy in action. Now because He loved Israel, he instituted discipline in their life for their unfaithfulness. He was like a loving father who sees a child go wayward, and instead of leaving them in that place he moved to action in disciplining them. In the midst of the punishment, there is a call from Hosea for God’s people to respond. The Israelites were so far gone…they had received the chastisement from the Lord, but they had a chance to return to him. Even on their darkest day, they could repent and return to the Lord.

Listen church, that same truth is a reality in our life. We do not have to revel in the same idolatry and junk that has held us down for so long. Listen, you are not too far gone to return home. As a matter of fact, the Lord God is waiting for you with open arms. He is calling for us to return to him. Here is what Hosea 6 highlights in regards to us choosing to return to him:

1) Confess Sin: 1 John 1:9 highlights that if we choose to confess our sins to the Lord He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The first step in returning to the Lord is confessing our sins to Him. Here is the deal, maybe the reason you are far from the Lord is because of unconfessed sin in your life. The step to returning to the Lord is to first confess that sin to God and let Him cleanse you.

2) Repent and Run to Him- Instead of choosing to make your Christian journey an endless Roller Coaster ride of following God one day and following that idol the next, choose to repent and run to God. How do we do that? Verse 3! Let us press on to know Him. Are you walking with God? Are you growing in Him? It is when we press on to know the Lord and grow in Him, we slowly become less enticed with the things that the world may have to offer, and we grow more in love with Jesus.

Do you find yourself far from the Lord today? Do you find yourself constantly being unfaithful to the God who made you, saved you and loves you? Hey, you don’t have to stay in that place. He wants you to return to Him. Let us choose to return to Him. He is waiting with arms open wide right where you left Him.

PRAYER FOR TODAY: 

Dear Lord, thank you for your love and grace in my life. Help me to never take my sin lightly. I confess my sin to you knowing that you hear me and are able to restore me. Help me to choose to run to you every single day. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK: 

1 Samuel 30:6b

But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.