A walk through Hosea

"Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them."
Hosea 14:9

Will you listen to the ways of the Lord? Will you understand His wisdom? None are righteous on their own, but through the Lord we are deemed righteous. We are washed clean, without a blemish because of the act our Savior did for us on the cross. He has done so much for us. But, what have we done for Him? Are we foolish in our ways? Where have the transgression taken root? Do we seek after things that are not of the Lord?

"For their mother has played the harlot;
she who conceived them has behaved shamefully.
For she said; 'I will go after my lovers,
Who give me my bread and my water,
My wool and my linen,
My oil and my drink."
Hosea 2:5

You have a God who loves you so much. Listen to His heart for you. His heart for your relationship with Him:

"I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In loving kindness and mercy;
I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,
and you shall know the Lord."
Hosea 2:19-20

Have you been able to enjoy that relationship with the Lord? Do you glory in your betrothed? Rejoice in the One who seeks you out? It is only with acceptance of this betrothal can you begin to enjoy the fruit of the relationship. He is waiting. He is offering. He is a gentleman, waiting for your answer.

"Sow for yourself righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He comes and rains righteousness on you."
Hosea 10:12

See what the Lord's love for us looks like:

"I taught Ephraim to walk,
Taking them by their arms;
But they did not know that I healed them.
I drew them with gentle cords,
With bands of love,
And i was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.
I stooped and fed them.
Hosea 11:4

As i meditated on these verses today, seeking and hearing the Word of the Lord, i was overwhelmed with His love for us. Tough love is the hardest love to give. It is the one that hurts the most, does the most damage, and takes the longest to heal. Tough love is like tough candy. It has to be soften, chewed, gnawed on in order to swallow. It may not seem like love at all, to the receiver. But the outcome is always so beautiful. It is always the "worth" of the actions. To give tough love shows the depth, width, height, and length of God's love for us. It hurts Him to have to give us up to our adulterous and harlot ways. It pains Him to see us choose others (people and things) before Him. But He, being the gentleman, desires that we want Him in return. He will pursue us, he will rescue us from ourselves as well as our despair and sins and trespasses when we cry out to Him. He will NOT force our betrothal. That is up to you. To me, even. Will you consider a betrothal to the Holy of Holies? To the Adonai, Abba, Savior of your life? Trust me, he won't give you up without a fight. He will pursue you and you will be the pursued. He is your One True Love.

"How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I set you like Zeboiim?
My heart churns within Me;
My sympathy is stirred.
I will not execute the fierceness of My anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim.
For I am God, and not man,
The Holy One in your midst;
And I will not come with terror."
Hosea 11:8-9