Remembering and Returning
Even the LORD, the God of hosts, The LORD is His name.
Therefore, return to your God,
Observe kindness and justice,
And wait for your God continually.
Hosea 12:5-6
A key to returning to God is knowing who He is.
Returning to God is not changing location. God is everywhere and if you are a child of His, you are always with him. Psalm 139 says Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from yur presence? There is no place we can go where we can get away from Him. As His child this should bring words of comfort, that we are always safe. Yet there are times when we want to hide from God. When we are nurturing a pet sin. When we are pursuing a lifestyle apart from Him. When we enjoy His blessings without acknowledging Him. During those times, in the spiritual sense we are far from the Lord and need to return to Him. This means we live out His ways, spend time with Him...
Hosea starts by reminding us who God is. In fact, the word name in verse 5 literally means memorial. To remember. Earlier in this chapter, God describes Ephraim, the remaining tribe of Israel so this distinction really talks about all of the norther kingdom after the divide of God's people, as making a covenant with Assyria. The God who had entered covenant with them, who is always faithful, was calling them to remember who He was so they would return to Him. To bring them back He had to remind of of His name. LORD means the everlasting God. The God of hosts...He is the mighty spiritual general, in charge of everything under heaven. All things are under His sovereign hand. So in your worry, the God that always was and will ever be, who is in charge of all things, is looking out for you. His name is the essence of His being.
This passage ends with a reminder that because of who God is, we can return to Him. Turn to Him instead of our own way. Pray to Him instead of get advice from the latest fashion magazine. Worship Him, instead of chasing after lesser things like a cleaner house or a slimmer waistline. Study His words instead of letting the culture around us tell us what is true.
Verse 6 outlines three ways we can return to Him. Being kind, just and patient. For me, the hardest of the three is patience. When I have insight and know that something needs to change I want it to happen now! Part of returning to the Lord for me is a continual waiting, of His timing as well as His ways. Maybe for you it is kindness. Is it hard to not participate in the gossip at work? Or maybe justice. How often do you use your time and resources to serve those around you who are less fortunate? That is how returning to the Lord looks like in deeds.
Therefore, return to your God,
Observe kindness and justice,
And wait for your God continually.
Hosea 12:5-6
A key to returning to God is knowing who He is.
Returning to God is not changing location. God is everywhere and if you are a child of His, you are always with him. Psalm 139 says Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from yur presence? There is no place we can go where we can get away from Him. As His child this should bring words of comfort, that we are always safe. Yet there are times when we want to hide from God. When we are nurturing a pet sin. When we are pursuing a lifestyle apart from Him. When we enjoy His blessings without acknowledging Him. During those times, in the spiritual sense we are far from the Lord and need to return to Him. This means we live out His ways, spend time with Him...
Hosea starts by reminding us who God is. In fact, the word name in verse 5 literally means memorial. To remember. Earlier in this chapter, God describes Ephraim, the remaining tribe of Israel so this distinction really talks about all of the norther kingdom after the divide of God's people, as making a covenant with Assyria. The God who had entered covenant with them, who is always faithful, was calling them to remember who He was so they would return to Him. To bring them back He had to remind of of His name. LORD means the everlasting God. The God of hosts...He is the mighty spiritual general, in charge of everything under heaven. All things are under His sovereign hand. So in your worry, the God that always was and will ever be, who is in charge of all things, is looking out for you. His name is the essence of His being.
This passage ends with a reminder that because of who God is, we can return to Him. Turn to Him instead of our own way. Pray to Him instead of get advice from the latest fashion magazine. Worship Him, instead of chasing after lesser things like a cleaner house or a slimmer waistline. Study His words instead of letting the culture around us tell us what is true.
Verse 6 outlines three ways we can return to Him. Being kind, just and patient. For me, the hardest of the three is patience. When I have insight and know that something needs to change I want it to happen now! Part of returning to the Lord for me is a continual waiting, of His timing as well as His ways. Maybe for you it is kindness. Is it hard to not participate in the gossip at work? Or maybe justice. How often do you use your time and resources to serve those around you who are less fortunate? That is how returning to the Lord looks like in deeds.
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