Tuesday August 1, 2023
Theme: "God's Purposes for the Welfare of His People" Text: Hosea 14:5-10 (Samuel Cahen version, CAH 1831)
5. I will heal their error, I will gladly love them, my anger is turned away from them. 6. I will be like dew to Israel, it will bloom like a lily, its roots will multiply like Libanone (Lebanon). 7. Its branches will spread, its magnificence will be like that of the olive tree, and its sweet smell like that of Libanone. 8. They will come back again to sit under its shade, will grow (like) the wheat and will blossom like the vine, will be famous like the wine of Libanone. 9. Ephraim what more idols does he need with me? I have heard him and looked upon him favorably, I (I will return him) like a green cypress; from me you will receive your fruit. 10. Who is wise to notice this? clever to recognize it? For the ways of Jehovah are straight, the righteous shall walk therein, and the ungodly shall fall therein.
Let's remember:
Restoration again. God gives pride of place to the restoration of his people. After a phase of disobedience followed by sanctions, God comes back from his anger by granting his forgiveness. We know that God's main purpose is described in Ezekiel 32:11. “Tell them: I am alive! says the Lord GOD, what I desire is not that the wicked die, but that he change his ways and live. Come back, come back from your wrong way; and why should you die, house of Israel? ". He goes on to say: Ezekiel 33:19. "If the wicked turn back from his wickedness and do righteousness and justice, he will live because of it." The Lord is patient with us, not wanting us to perish, but wanting everyone to come to repentance. God restores his people when they take a new impulse of repentance. God does not remain frozen in his anger as humans do. The Lord relies on his love and quickly returns to restore the people, even if he had driven them away from Him. In this text we see extraordinary purposes of God for the welfare of his people. It can happen that God does not wait for our repentance, he can take hold of himself and blow a wind of transformation from our heart in order to make us pleasing to Him. Saul had experienced it in 1 Samuel 10:9. "As soon as Saul had turned his back to separate from Samuel, God gave him another heart, and all these signs were fulfilled the same day." Let's not stay in sin and wait for God to come and change us. Let us advance towards our spiritual embellishment by abandoning the old life without God. When God heals our straying, he turns away his anger and he becomes like hermon dew for us, he will bloom like a lily, his roots will multiply like Lebanon; symbol of solidity and stability. He casts his shadow over us and spreads his wings. He brings joy to our hearts. Great month of August. Amen. Alain Louz.-
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