Hosea 14 (NLT):
1-2: Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down. Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him, "Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises."
4: The Lord says, "Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever."
9: Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.-----
Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord, I confess that my walk with you has wandered and I have found myself too often in the wilderness from my own sin. I know now that even there, in the midst of my own exile, you were my comfort and my salvation. Lord, I thank you for forgiving my sins and I beg you to open my eyes to your acts of graciousness within my life. Heal me of my faithlessness in times of doubt, and remind me of your unfailing love, that I may walk in the paths you set before me as your daughter, full of the righteousness placed within me through your son Jesus Christ. Give me wisdom and discernment to follow your calling for my life. I praise you, Lord, for your righteousness, justice, unfailing love, and compassion.-----
My Story:
I spent the first part of my adult life believing in a distant, disciplining God, rather than a personal, loving God. While I did not purposefully place myself in a sinful exile, I was unaware that there could truly be a personal communion with God outside of following the traditional Christian checklist of things to do or not to do. This personal legalism quickly grew tiring and I had no connection with God beneath the surface of praying when things got really bad - while not actually having any faith that the prayers would change anything. Doubt in His love and personal affection for me, as His daughter.-----
Your Turn:
In times of weakness, the devil loves to play off of our insecurities, quickly reminding us that we have sinned and convincing us that God will lose patience with us for our failures or our own faithlessness. The truth is, God never loses faith for us. He never lacks compassion or gives up on chasing after us with His unfailing love and ultimate grace. Nothing we ever have done - or could ever do - will ever be enough to separate us from Him.
Have there been times in your own life when you placed yourself in exile from God, believing that somehow your sins were greater than His forgiveness? Or maybe that He was too distant to truly love you and show you the grace and mercy you so desperately needed? What trials have you endured during wilderness periods that have ultimately brought you closer to God or revealed His plans for your life? Share in the comments.
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