Thought for April 9, 2024

  •  1768: John Hancock refuses to allow British soldiers to search his ship
  • 1816: African Episcopal Methodist Church organizes in Philadelphia
  • 1865: Lee surrenders at Appomattox Court House
  • 1939: Marian Anderson sings before 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial
  • 1959: NASA names 7 astronauts
  • 1963: Churchill becomes the first honorary US citizen
  • 2013: French Senate approves same-sex marriage
  • Born: Curly Lambeau, Paul Robeson, Hugh Hefner, Cheetah [Tarzan movies], Michael Learned, Dennis Quaid, Seve Ballesteros, Kristen Stewart, Jackie Evanco, 
  • Died: Francis Bacon, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Frank Lloyd Wright, Willie Stargel, 
Thought:
Read with me Hosea chapter 6 today. We have just celebrated Easter. Read what God said to the prophet 2700 years ago and over 700 years before Jesus was born. 
  • The Lord has torn us and wounded us, but He will heal and bandage us. He will revive us after 2 days and raise us up on the third day. Sound familiar. By His stripes we are healed. He was wounded for my transgressions and bruised for my iniquities. But on the third day--raised to victory that we may live before Him. [6:1-2] Now see that His going forth is a certain as the dawn--His going forth from heaven and His coming again from heaven. Light in the Eastern sky foretells His coming. And His coming will be like the rain--fully washing, fully refreshing, giving life. [6:3]
  • Now take a look at 6:4-6. Hosea was a prophet to Israel, but here he addresses Judah that will not fall for another 150 years. What God says to Judah might apply to me--
    • My loyalty is like a morning cloud. Looks nice in the early day, but the heat of the day drives the cloud away, saps all the moisture. Might sound like my loyalty--great on Sunday, but when the heat is turned up--it disappears.
    • God delights in loyalty--faithfulness-- not my insufficient sacrifices. God delights in the knowledge of God, not my dirty offerings. Recall that Gomer was unfaithful, so Hosea sees and understands what God is saying---Gomer claims to be your wife, but commits adultery. Now God is looking at me--am I bringing the sacrifice---presenting my body as a living sacrifice. Or am I just giving lip service. Do I take pride in claiming to be a Christian, but don't bear any resemblance to my Father and Brother. 
Years ago, I was leading a Bible study for athletes at Belmont. One of the women, Hannah, suggested we study Hosea. She was in love and married Trevor right after graduation. She had heard that Hosea was a love story. Then we did the study. At the end she said it was not what she expected--a story about an unfaithful wife and the husband who still loved her and wanted her back. Then she realized that this was about God's love story. In spite of my unfaithfulness, He loved me, died for me and seeks me. The question is how I will respond to His unmerited love. 

Father, forgive us for causing You pain, draw us near and restore and refresh us. 

Blessings
Larry

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