Hosea was a prophet who ministered to Israel for 40 years, during a time when unfaithfulness and spiritual adultery were rampant. Yahweh described Israel as ‘committing blatant acts of promiscuity by abandoning’ Him [Hosea 1:2]. His heart was breaking. He directed Hosea to marry a prostitute and have children with her. He wanted a servant who could relate to His own feelings of suffering and abandonment, who could speak His Words with genuine understanding, and manifestly convey His anguish and grief.
The prophecies move between deep expressions of love [2:19-20], angry set-downs [4:1&16], inexhaustible compassion [14:2], and wholehearted forgiveness [14:4-7]. Yahweh is terrifying when He’s angry [13:6-9], but His heart is always open to hear genuine cries of repentance, sorrow and shame. We can learn a lot about our Father from this record; how deeply He’s affected by His chosen ones! We who’ve been redeemed by the blood of His precious Son are among the chosen ones; do we bring our Father joy or pain?
Recently I found myself pondering, “Indeed, they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind…” [8:7]. This statement has found its way into the English language as a proverb, and most of us will be familiar with it. It means our decisions have consequences; our actions come back to us. Paul puts it bluntly, “…whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” [Galatians 6:7]. Are you aware of what you’re sowing? “We are all sowing; we cannot help it,” writes Charles Spurgeon. “No-one goes forth in the morning without a seed-basket.” What a sobering thought!
Your basket is your heart, and the seeds you carry will be sown every day as you go about your business. Seeds of bitterness, hatred, dissention and so on spread out and affect those with whom we come in contact. Seeds of peace, harmony, generosity, compassion, will also spread. As believers, it’s important what we leave behind in the hearts of others; it’s important to ensure we have a harvest of goodness. Nothing goes unnoticed by our Father. Take care of your basket, for we reap what we sow!
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You Are The BranchesClick to see the whole passage:
1 timothy 3:16 NIV - Beyond all question, the mystery from - Bible Gateway
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