Israel Had Backslidden
Hosea 2:15: "And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt."
Israel had backslidden in that she had turned from the true and living God over to many false gods. Yet, the Lord loved her! Even when she would not be faithful to Him, He was faithful to her! Our text even says of our Lord that He will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her (v. 14). Isn’t it amazing that when we deserve wrath, God so often remembers mercy! When we should have been scolded and rebuked, instead He speaks unto us in a still, small voice of hope. His unconditional love for His people is manifested ever so graciously by His tender care for us.
There are times when God should have taken from us even that which we had, but instead He gave us vineyards, and opened unto us a door of hope. God shall yet again make a way in the wilderness! Even as the psalmist said, He shall compass us about with songs of deliverance (Ps. 32:7)! He has too much invested in us to simply walk away, for He has purchased us with His own blood. I am so thankful that we have a God of second chances, who offers hope to us when there seems to be no hope.
It’s easy to believe that God can make a way when the situation we’re in is not of our own demise, but even when it’s our mess, He still loves us, and still provides a way to escape if we will yet follow Him into the wilderness as He lures us in His direction! Dear backslider, if you will look for Him, you will find that He is also looking for you. Embrace Him with a repented heart, and He shall save you out of your self-inflicted dilemma for His own name’s sake, and restore unto you the joy of your salvation. Then, you shall be even as you were the day He first showed up in your life to save you!
You shall sing again! God wants to restore you and enable you to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness so you can go back to your first love, and take back what the enemy stole from you!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Israel had backslidden in that she had turned from the true and living God over to many false gods. Yet, the Lord loved her! Even when she would not be faithful to Him, He was faithful to her! Our text even says of our Lord that He will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her (v. 14). Isn’t it amazing that when we deserve wrath, God so often remembers mercy! When we should have been scolded and rebuked, instead He speaks unto us in a still, small voice of hope. His unconditional love for His people is manifested ever so graciously by His tender care for us.
There are times when God should have taken from us even that which we had, but instead He gave us vineyards, and opened unto us a door of hope. God shall yet again make a way in the wilderness! Even as the psalmist said, He shall compass us about with songs of deliverance (Ps. 32:7)! He has too much invested in us to simply walk away, for He has purchased us with His own blood. I am so thankful that we have a God of second chances, who offers hope to us when there seems to be no hope.
It’s easy to believe that God can make a way when the situation we’re in is not of our own demise, but even when it’s our mess, He still loves us, and still provides a way to escape if we will yet follow Him into the wilderness as He lures us in His direction! Dear backslider, if you will look for Him, you will find that He is also looking for you. Embrace Him with a repented heart, and He shall save you out of your self-inflicted dilemma for His own name’s sake, and restore unto you the joy of your salvation. Then, you shall be even as you were the day He first showed up in your life to save you!
You shall sing again! God wants to restore you and enable you to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness so you can go back to your first love, and take back what the enemy stole from you!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill