Listening to the Word

Hosea 10-12; Psalms 73; Hebrews 4   “’It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.’” [‘To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.’] Hosea 11:3, 4 The Creator of the universe is also the gentle nurturing Father of Ephraim. The image of a father patiently teaching his child to walk reminds us of God’s instruction through Moses to learn his ways and walk in his truth. The image of a father lifting a little child to his cheek in a loving embrace is so intimate that few of us would describe God that way. Yet, that is his invitation to us in Christ. Are we aware of God’s gentleness with us despite our rebellion and sin? Will we lift up our arms and ask our Father to pick us up? Will we open wide our mouth so our Father can feed us from his Word? Do we k...

  Hosea 6-9; Hebrews 3   “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings…Israel’s arrogance testifies against him, but despite all this he does not return to the Lord his God or search for him.” Hosea 6:6; 7:10 Religious rituals, services, and ceremonies can warm our soul, but God’s intent is communion with our heart, Spirit to spirit. Spiritual pride can be nurtured through religious services, sacrifices of time, and money. However, it is in humbling ourselves before God and seeking his face that we are transformed. Israel trusted in their spiritual history, clergy, rituals, and sacrifices to earn them standing before God. In what ways have we defaulted to similar patterns? Through Jesus we have access to a relationship with God and fellowship with the Spirit that Israel’s prophets could only dream of. Are we living in the fullness of this gift of relationship with God? “Lord Jesus, you are alive, and I choose to seek you, for your gl...

Hosea 2-5; Hebrews 2   “’In that day I will respond,’ declares the Lord – ‘I will respond to the skies, and they will respond to the earth; and the earth will respond to the grain, the new wine and oil, and they will respond to Jezreel.’…’There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.’” Hosea 2:21, 22; 4:2, 3 Hosea the prophet connected the fertility of the earth and the ecology to God’s blessing, favor, and response to his promises to plant (Jezreel). Conversely, there were environmental consequences to sin. When bloodshed followed bloodshed, the “land mourns” and all creation “wastes away”. Environmental sensitivity without sensitivity to sin’s consequences is inconsistent with God’s economy and creation. There is a direct connection between righteousness and...

  2 Kings 15,16; Hosea 1; 1 Hebrews 1   “Then the Lord said to Hosea, ‘Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel…The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.’” Hosea 1:4, 11 Jezreel means “God plants”. God planted the tribe of Issachar in the fertile Jezreel valley. The rebellious King Ahab and Jezebel ruled from this valley. Later, God’s judgment of Ahab through Jehu was exacted at Jezreel. This legacy of rebellion and bloodshed ultimately resulted in the destruction and deportation of Israel by the Assyrians. In the very place God prophesied of Israel’s destruction, he also promised her return and restoration. “…great will be the day of Jezreel” (Hosea 1:11). The future coming of the Messiah would be in this region, as Jews and Gentiles together entered the k...

Isaiah 6,7; 2 Chronicles 26,27; Philemon   “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.” Philemon 7 The network of churches in Paul’s day was linked by relationships and letters. Letters were delivered by church representatives who then brought with them the personal updates and needs from the congregation they represented and those they had visited. Philemon hosted a house church in his home and would have welcomed many visiting Christians. His runaway slave, Onesimus, had found Christ in prison with Paul. Paul’s appeal to Philemon was to forgive and welcome back Onesimus. The same love and hospitality which refreshed many saints is what Paul was appealing to in this test of Onesimus’ response to a returning slave, now a brother in Christ. Paul closed by writing Philemon’s grace-filled response to Onesimus would in turn “refresh my heart in Christ” (Philemon 20). When we extend forgiveness and grace in our rela...

  Isaiah 4,5; Psalms 115,116; Jude   “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy…The cords of earth entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord; ‘O Lord, save me!’…Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” Psalm 116:1, 3, 4, 7-9 Facing death is something few are prepared for. The Psalm writer cried out to the Lord for mercy and salvation as the cords of death entangled him. The resulting peace of God’s presence brought rest to his soul, and we experience the same inner rest as we place our lives in the hands of the Lord. Those who give their lives to the Lord walk before the Lord in the land of the living, both in this life and the life to come. Have we found peace with God and rest for our s...