A Final Plea
This was one of those days I found myself wondering, “where did my morning go.” Some of what I hoped to accomplish I didn’t, but sometimes that is okay. This afternoon, I attended a final meeting of our National Day of Prayer planning committee. This year’s event was well attended and went very well. We are already anticipating next year’s event.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Let whoever is wise understand these things, and whoever is insightful recognize them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” Hosea 14:9 HCSB
The final verses of Old Testament books are designed for emphasis. Throughout Hosea, we read words of judgment and condemnation for God’s people over run by idolatry and disobedience. But we see God’s righteousness and mercy always go hand in hand. Where there is judgment there is a promise of mercy, if correction is made.
So we see words of promised redemption at the end of this prophecy, “I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger will have turned from him.” (Hosea 14:4 HCSB) The offer is made, now who will respond. The response reveal whether a person is wise or foolish.
I recently visited with my friend Snow Peabody, the Director of Arizona Teen Challenge and a national leader in drug and alcohol recovery. I am reminded that many of those who came into our Teen Challenge program were those who had backgrounds in a Christian family. Many of them struggle with not only their own addiction, but the guilt of disappointing and betraying parents and God.
A key to their recovery is to see that there is hope. That God is able to bring a change in them they don’t believe is possible or believe that they are worthy to receive. If they are able to act not based on the shame and condemnation of their past and embrace hope in the “ways of the Lord” it is the beginning of a new adventure, a road to recovery and transformation.
That is where God’s people were as Hosea spoke the words of the Lord. So the call goes out, “whoever is wise understand these things, and whoever is insightful recognize them.” When hope seems to be gone, there is hope in God’s mercy. It is not found in the power of human will or ability, but in simply following in the “ways of the Lord.” It is recognizing, “I can’t, but He can.”
But the ways of the Lord are not always easy, they don’t always make sense to the human mind. That is why Paul declared, “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NLT) Peter described Christ as, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message…” (1 Peter 2:8)
Remember, Hosea was written to God’s people. People that “should have know better.” But whether responding to Christ out of living for self or returning to Christ after “leaving the path” the truly wise recognize, “the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous walk in them.”
A prayer for today….
“Lord, thank you that Your ways are right and that the righteous walk in them. Keep me focused on You and keep me from stumbling. Help me to live with insight and understanding, as I recognize You as the way to follow through the maze of life.”