Mon.’s Devo - Return

Read: Hosea 6:1-9:17; 3 John 1:1-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Provers 29:12-14 Hosea begins by lovingly calling God’s people back to him. You can feel God’s love and desire to heal his people and draw them back into his presence but it is apparent that the majority reject God’s love. In verse 4, God rebukes them for their deaf ears. He sent many prophets to them with cutting words, yet they walked away unaffected. They chose murder and prostitution and idolatry over God. Judah had been God’s hope of a remnant on the earth, but she had fallen like Israel. Nothing they did went unnoticed by God. He saw all their wickedness and carousing. They consumed their leaders and killed their kings. They took up the gods of foreigners and gave their allegiance to their gods. This took their strength and their youth and have lost any desire in finding the Lord. God wanted to save them but they had told too many lies about him and plotted evil against Him. They had looked everywhere for help but to him so God was turning them over to Egypt. They brought about their own destruction. God addressed Samaria where one of the golden calfs was. God was going to smash their golden calf. They had gone to Assyria for help, but they would not be able to stand against God. They would be slaves in Egypt and Assyria and be made to eat food that is unclean to them. They called the prophets ‘crazy’ but every word they said was about to happen. God mentions that their wickedness began at Gilgal. This was in a valley between the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim where they stood a proclaimed the curses and the blessings. They chose the blessings but then did everything to get the curses. Much idolatry happened in that valley that led to their downfall into sin and now judgement. Their sentence is that their children would be killed and they would be rejected by God and they would be homeless among the nations. In the third letter from John he writes to Gaius who was a Christian brother of one of the churches in Asia Minor. He wrote to commend them for the good report he received of their faithfulness to the truth. He thanks them for taking care of the traveling teachers who depend on their offerings to live. He spoke of the deception of Diotrphes who refused to accept the teachers because he wanted to lord his leadership over the people. His desire for control was wicked and his fruit was also. John promised to tell them more when he came in person. Lord, help us to realize that we are all in this together and need each other. Bring repentance to the church and the world. May we see your healing upon our land as we seek you first and turn from our wickedness.