Hosea
14 reminds me of the five hardest words to say; “I’m sorry.
Please forgive me”. It is not the pronunciation, but the attitude
that we find to be a challenge. First it requires us to realize that
we have made an error; and second, we have to notice we have caused
pain to our self and others. Finally we must swallow our pride and
put someone else above us. Saying the words is difficult, but
without including change, it is just manipulation. The final chapter
of the book begins with Hosea’s multi-part instruction, “Return,
Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall!
Take words with you
and return to the Lord“.
Email is great and letters are useful, but some things have to be
done face to face. Hosea even gives them the words to say, “Forgive
all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit
of our lips“. Many married
couples get this wrong after a disagreement. Flattery and
complements and flirting fall flat without first breaking through the
hurt. Friend, have your prayers been unheard? Maybe you have
skipped over repentance?
The
prophet reminds them to be specific in their apology, “Assyria
cannot save us… We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to what our
own hands have made“. It is
an awful feeling to be rejected, replaced or treated as if we are not
the most important person to our spouse. Israel realizes what they
had given up, “for in You the
fatherless find compassion“.
The
chapter closes with God’s response to His beloved. “I
will heal their waywardness
and love them freely, for My anger has turned away from them“.
To be clear, small hurts can grow, as frustration turns into
bitterness. Bitterness turns to hatred that can drive a wedge of
separation between us. Please notice that God can and will heal the
source of the problem, not just the symptoms. There is an unexpected
benefit to forgiveness. After the hurt is removed, we begin to grow
once again, “he will blossom
like a lily… he will send down his roots… His splendor will be
like an olive tree… People will dwell again in his shade“.
I think the clear image is that first we have to reconcile with God,
then to those we have hurt, and then our relationships can fully
develop. Even the wild-child Ephraim is reunited, “I
will answer him and care for him“.
If you have been holding back from saying those words, God has a
reminder, “your fruitfulness
comes from Me“. Still not
ready? The book closes with a couple of questions for you. “Who
is wise? Let them realize these things.
Who is discerning? Let them understand The ways of the Lord are
right“. What is holding you
back? Too proud? Too suborn? Too unworthy? Too filled with anger?
He concludes there are two ways to deal with the wisdom of God’s
Word, “the righteous walk in
them, but the rebellious stumble in them“.
Are you ready for a change? “The
Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.
Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but
everyone to come to repentance”
(2 Peter 3:9). Don’t let five words keep you from God’s promise
to you.