/fairfaxs-website/image-f878f-i65ab.png "Fairfax Presbyterian Church")
In this book, the prophet Hosea is speaking to the people of Israel. They have strayed from God by being unfaithful, worshipping idols and trusting foreign powers. Hosea’s message is of contrasting doom and hope, discipline and love. In this passage, using poetry form, Hosea extols Israel to return to God. It was his intent to use the poetry/song format to enable the people to more readily remember the message that with God, there is another chance. Punishment is not the last word. Hosea writes,
“Come let us return to the Lord;
For he has torn, that he may heal us;
He has stricken, and he will bind us up.
After two days, he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up,
Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord;
His going forth is sure as the dawn;
He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."
Israel saw God as a forgiving one where God forgives their sins, great and small. But God expects more. God does forgive, but we must initiate that forgiveness by seeking him out and asking Him for it. Asking for forgiveness is far easier than truly naming and repenting for our failures and our sins. We know when we disappoint God and do wrong to others. We may get a twinge in our stomach, feel sorrow/guilt at what we have done or left undone.
Every week during worship, we repeat the Lord’s Prayer. In it, we say the words, “forgive us our debts (sins) as we forgive our debtors (those who sin against us)”. As we say this prayer over and over, it becomes rote. To truly repent and ask forgiveness, it is better to remember specific transgressions and identify those whom we have sinned against….our spouse, our children, neighbors and others with whom we come in contact. Try as we might, however, we can never measure up to what God expects. Thus, during this Advent season, we remember that Jesus came to take on our sins to put us in right relationship with God who does forgive us, and we can count on this forgiveness and love just “as sure as the dawn …. and as showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I ask for forgiveness for my transgressions and sins of omission to others. Help me to be more cognizant of those things I have done that are displeasing to you. Help me strive to do your will as you have taught us through the example of your son, Jesus. In His name I pray, Amen.