Let Us Return

So I've been reading Hosea, a book in the Bible in which God asks one of His prophets (Hosea) to marry a prostitute. He does and they have kids and then she goes back to her ways and causes Hosea a whole lot of trouble, the least of which is having to go get his wife and show mercy to her and then bring her back into the family. What a mess.

God goes on to say in this book that His people are just like that to Him. Like Hosea, God is the jealous and hurt husband who goes out looking, time after time after time after time again and again -- looking for His people amidst the places where they've gone to love and get pleasure from other things, where they have made themselves dirty and had intimate relations and betrayed their God by finding satisfaction with others who aren't in fact their true husband, who can't provide for them anything more than a moment's pleasure or satisfaction, or who will maybe give them some money or food or a possession and then cut and run.

Really, what do we get by going to things other than God to satisfy us?? Very little good comes out of it. Yes, some immediate satisfaction, maybe some pleasure and enjoyment. But it doesn't last and it is spoiled by how guilty and ashamed we feel when it's all said and done.

However, what this book serves is to magnify God. I mean, who in their right mind would want a wife like Gomer -- like us -- who leaves the husband and one they've been married to for pleasures elsewhere? God has every right to literally destroy us and He very well can. He has every right to banish us and never return to us again or let us return to Him.

But we see God's heart -- He longs for our love much, much, much more than we long for His... so much so that He extends Himself throughout the book to bring us back, cleanse us, heal us. His love is pictured as a furious love, a passionate love that will do whatever it takes not only to bring us back but to make sure that we stay devoted to Him. He will be faithful even when we have been faithless.

Some people out there, a great many Christians included, are bothered by a God that would do any harm to or hurt His children -- and that such a God could be, in fact, loving. Well, I know parents often do things to their children that hurt them -- sometimes physically and sometimes emotionally -- but it's for the child's good. It was and still is a common practice for shepherds to break the legs of a persistently wayward sheep and then to carry that sheep on their shoulders until the sheep is healed. By doing this, the sheep learns to stay close to the shepherd and that he can be trusted. Thus, an intimate bond is formed. I know some couples who have had to travel roads of pain and suffering to make their relationship work. In fact, for most this is the case at some point. It's almost impossible to open yourself up to another, especially in as deep a relationship as marriage, and not get hurt. We're all screwed up and, really, in various stages of health. Sometimes in order for someone to become healthy again (or at least functional in a relationship) they need to experience pain. Confrontation, hearing the truth, etc. can be just as painful as breaking a bone. And sometimes this is a process that can take awhile.

This is the kind of God we serve and some of what I saw in reading Hosea. He will go to whatever ends necessary to bring us back to Him. The fact is we have hurt Him and do hurt Him DEEPLY by our sin. It is a tear and cut deep in His heart. The greater the sin, the greater the betrayal and stab in His heart. He already has done whatever it takes to bring us back -- just look at Jesus dying on the cross and being resurrected.

But don't think God doesn't discipline His children. Oh yes, He does. I can look at my life and see God's discipline everywhere. Thank God for that -- for He disciplines those He loves (just look at Hebrews 12 for one Scripture reference about his, among the many).

I wrote a song from Hosea out of Chapter 6 -- about returning to our God when we've done wrong things and played the harlot, about the breaking and disciplining God does in order to show His love to us, and to restore and revive us to Himself. This is the sacrificial and loving nature of our God: while His love is enduring and faithful forever, it is alo furious and passionate and neverending in it's reach towards us and desire to bring us back to Himself, whatever the cost to Him and to us. Thank God for this furious kind of love!!!!!!!

And if the thought of a God who would show you this kind of love and devotion fills you with horror and fear (honestly, sometimes I have this reaction) consider this: His love WILL save us from hell -- something so very horrible that even the extremes of His love are like the soft touch of a feather in comparison with the punishment and torment in that place. Better to receive judgment and discipline in this life than in the life to come.


Come, let us return to the Lord
Come, let us return to our God
Come, let us return to our first love

He has torn us, He will heal us
He has wounded us, He will bandage our wounds

After two days, He will revive
On the third day we will rise, rise!

So let us know and press on to knowing
The Lord whose going forth is certain
As the dawn, as the rising of the sun

He will come, He will come, refreshing spring rains
He will come, He will come, water to the thristy
He will come, He will come, we will live again
He will come, He will come, and He will be our husband

To Live is Christ

These song lyrics were basically inspired by the meditation I share in the previous post "This Precious Life." As I furthered considered the preciousness of the life that I have been given, I realized that truly my great value and worth comes from Jesus. To live is to be in and with and to know Jesus. Period. And to anyone that knows what this means, you'll agree, I think, that life is not worth living unless you have Jesus. Nothing else satisfies and is really worth putting your time into. That being said, putting your life fully into Jesus and living for Him will look different for everyone and cause devotion to family, people, organizations, and works that will be an outgrowth of your love for Him. At least this is what has happened and continues to happen for me. So now for the song lyrics:


I live by faith in the Son, who died for me and gave Himself for me
My life is hidden with Christ, who has become my hope of glory
This precious life I live for His sake
To proclaim His great fame

For me to live is Christ, to die would be gain
I'll spend my life on Him in the time that remains
For me to live is Christ, to die would be gain
I'll make the most of the time He's given me

All my fountains are in Him
All my life flows from Him
All my great worth comes from Him

Life Scriptures -- Pt. 3: New Testament Letters

Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

2Corinthians 3:4-6 "Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

2Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

2Timothy 2:20-21 “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”

Hebrews 4:14-16 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of god, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 12:7, 11-13 “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put of our joint, but rather be healed.”

1Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

1John 1:7 “But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Life Scriptures -- Pt. 2: Gospels

Matthew 5:3,4,6,8 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Matthew 5:44, 45, 48 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Therefore you are to be merciful/perfect, as your heavenly Father is merciful/perfect."

Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:33-34 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force."

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Matthew 16:24-25 “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Luke 6:41-42 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Of how can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,” when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.”

Luke 10:2 “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

John 3:8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

John 4:34-35 “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, “There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest?” Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”

Life Scriptures -- Pt. 1: Old Test. Scriptures

2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."

Psalm 37:3-6 "Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday."

Psalm 46:10 “Cease striving (Be still) and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in all the earth.”

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.”

Proverbs 4:23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Isaiah 30:15a “For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said “In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.”

Isaiah 30:21 “Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”

Isaiah 58:6-14 "Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house? When you see the naked, to cover him and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday. And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones. And you will be like a watered garden and a spring of water whose waters do not fail. Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; You will raise up the age-old foundations; And you will be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of the streets in which to dwell. If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot From doing your own pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word, then you will take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth. And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

This Precious Life

This past week I had a revelation, some "moments" with God just about life that have lingered. I was just thinking about my life last week and how it's gone the past few years. I have to admit that I haven't been that good at using my personal resources for God for awhile. By this I mean my talents, gifts, abilities, and opportunities. Yes, I've been through a lot the past few years, too much stuff to share, but I've found myself using all this as excuse to retreat from pursuing God and living for His glory -- to really make Him known.

"I'm hurt, afraid, tired, grieving, whatever." All excuses. Not to sound without compassion (sorry for anyone going through those things -- I feel for you). I've just realized that, for myself, I could've done a lot more than I did and that I have squandered many days and weeks, dare I say months of the last few years. I have empty memories to show for it. I wish I would not have retreated and isolated and just said, "No I can't do that right now."

And as I have retreated I have lost some vision of what God has for me (He is restoring it and reminding me, as He always, always does). I have listened to other voices that have carried me elsewhere and I have despised the precious gift of this life. That is one of the things that can happen when you retreat, even a little bit, from God's visiion of who you really are and of His designs for you. Really this life is a gift and that is what hit me so powerfully.

You see, this life -- we live it once. We will have all eternity to live with God and be part of His plan in that time and place (if eternal heaven can really be defined by "time" and "place"). We will do whatever He wants and be very happy doing it.

In that time called "eternity," though, we will have it forever. But this life, this here and now, WILL come to an end. We have ONE chance, ONE opportunity to go through this existence and then it WILL pass away, remembered only in memories and God will even heal those and wipe away our tears so eventally we will probably forget this life. It's going to be completely gone and swallowed up by eternity -- even the memory of it. After that happens, we will not have any more chances to "do right" what we can do in this life right now.

There is a purpose that God has for me -- summed up, to live for the glory of God. I don't know what that means for anybody else, somoewhat so for myself. Now and however many days I have left; that's all I have to live out this purpose. Like it or not, my days ARE numbered. I am going to die and be called home or see Jesus return one of these days -- whichever comes first. It'll be glorious either way.

God's purpose, overall purpose, is that everything may be brought under one head, Christ. That WILL happen. And I get to be a part of it!!! As His child, a chosen one, I get to be part of this great plan to bring everything under the dominion and supervision and control of God's Son, Jesus!!! This plan that spans time from the creation of the earth until Jesus returns.

I have a part in it -- big or small really doesn't matter. It's my part to play, my part in bringing glory to God and helping others know Him. And this part to play in His glorious plan which will already be established in eternity (somewhow it's all done and happening at the same time -- I don't undrestand) -- this part that I am functioning in and living in can only be done IN THIS LIFE. Once my life is done and over, God will move me forward into the established and operational reign of Jesus in eternity. Tears will be wiped away and I'll probably forget this life in the fascination of being with God and everyone in heaven and moving forward in all the newness and wonder of eternal life. I won't even care about "that which has passed."

This life is all there is -- right now and the days I have left -- to be part of God's plan for the here and now. This is my only opportunity and I won't get a second chance. I can think of a million reasons why God should reject me as His child or decide He doesn't need me anymore. But He does needs me -- even better, He wants me as part of all this!!!

This life is too precious to waste or misuse, to expend on things that make so little lasting impact or just to give it away without a passing thought. Yeah, there's a place for fun. I want to have fun!!! But all to the glory of God!!!

This is all gift, with Jesus, this life. God has given me a "place" in his plan and among His people -- a precious role to occupy until Jesus His Son returns. This is gift and grace 'cause "the place" is still there for me to occupy, the role still there for me to play, the purpose outlined before creation is still there for me to walk in and fulfill. And I have many years, in fact, left to do this. All is gift, all is gift in Jesus.