When God Ran To Me

Hosea continued...

Scripture:
Hosea 2: 14-17 (ESV)

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
    and bring her into the wilderness,
    and speak tenderly to her.
And there I will give her her vineyards
    and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,
    as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

“And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.

Devotional:

Th first part of chapter two continues with Israel’s unfaithfulness to God.  Israel found a new “love” and began following other gods.  But, after awhile Israel did return.  In our verses Hosea shares of God’s mercy.  The Israel nation would follow only God. 

There are times in each of our lives when we struggle with something.  We question God.  We wonder if He is real and or ask if He is listening.  We can feel that God has left us.  The good news for us all is that God has not left.  He does listen.  He is caring.  In the times in our lives when we stray or wander off, we can return.  God will take us back in His open arms.  Luke 15:22-23 ESV “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.  And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.’”  If we should run off and squander our lives away remember one thing.  God is waiting on the porch looking over the horizon for His lost son or daughter.  No matter how bad we think we are or how far we stray.  God is waiting.  He will run to you.  When I was a teenager, I heard a song by Benny Hester “When God Ran.”  I always loved the image it gave me.  I could see God running toward me to pick me up and hold me when I really needed it.  Just remember no matter what, God will run to us if we just turn to him...