a child of god
this is the way, run in it
I can't get past these verses in Hosea. Chapter 6, verses 1-3. Today, my Bible reading started in Psalms, with Psalm 65. In it the focus is all on God - He is the One to Whom all people come, to Whom all of creation looks for sustenance, rain, light, seed, growth - in order to flourish. He is the One who forgives our sin - cleaning us up, freeing us up - to really live a deep spiritual satisfying life with Him, which is what He created us for in our mother's wombs. Psalm 65 says, "How blessed/happy/well off is the person whom You choose, whom You bring near to You, to live and dwell and stay with You in your temple." We will truly be satisfied when we find that the best place to be is with God, in His presence, knowing Him. Which brings me back to Hosea. I need to know God. I need Him so much. Not just an idea about Him, but the person of God Himself. We need God. We were made to know Him and be with Him. When we aren't, nothing else satisfies, and we do not flourish. Check out this definition of the word "flourish" from dictionary.com I love looking at words in depth. The word "flourish" contains all the elements that I see in Psalm 65 - which talks about all that God does for human beings and for the earth itself - He stills their ragings, He brings strength, He waters and causes growth, He increases the number of the flocks (multiplies, causes to proliferate, develop, burgeon), everything drips with abundance and the result of that is joy. And praise of God.
Look at the opposite of "flourish" in the definition - it is to wither and die. When we don't seek to know God, when we don't live our life in Him and with Him, we wither and die. If we don't accept Jesus as our Savior and ask Him to forgive our sins and wash them away, we will wither and die eternally. We need God. And Hosea says, "Come on, guys! Let's return to the LORD. Even though we are withering and dying, He can heal us, He can restore us. He will revive us - for the purpose of living before Him." "So let us press on, press in, to know the LORD God. He is the One who will cause us to flourish, He is the One who will bring times of refreshing. He is the One who will come to us like the spring rain, watering the earth." He is the One we need. He is the One I need. Again, today. And every day.
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Franci Ballwatching and working for the kingdom of God in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham - UK Archives
January 2019
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