ODJ: sweet smell of repentance
Come, let us return to the Lord (v.1).
READ: Hosea 6
As I opened a container that had been neglected at the back of the fridge, a foul odor filled the air and nearly made me gag. Over way too many weeks, some leftovers had turned into a repulsive, moldy mass.
In Hosea, we find God holding His nose—being repulsed—as He viewed His people. In a well-known account, He compared unfaithful Israel to Hosea’s wayward wife Gomer (1:2-3:5). Something was stinking in the northern kingdom, and a loving God was about to clean house.
As you turn the pages of Hosea, however, you can’t miss the relentless love God had for His people (1:7; 2:14). He had made a covenant with His rebellious nation and He compassionately chose not to destroy them completely (11:8-11; 14:4-7). But He did allow them to experience the destruction of their kingdom by Assyria in 722 BC (Hosea 5:13-14). Why? So they would “admit their guilt and turn to [Him]” (v.15)
With those thoughts in mind, the prophet penned, “Come, let us return to the Lord” and “let us press on to know Him” (6:1,3). Hosea cried out to His people to repent and return to God—the One who said, “I want you to show love . . . . I want you to know Me” (v.6). God implored them to turn from sin and embrace Him.
When we choose to turn from the Lord and pursue sin, we fall headlong into a state of spiritual death. We take another “lover” into our arms, as Gomer did, and our hearts grow cold. To bring us back, God must lovingly discipline us.
But if we repent, He will replace the stench of our sin with the sweet smell of restored relationship. God’s “love will know no bounds” as it fills the air with fresh fragrances like “the cedars of Lebanon” (14:4,6). —Tom Felten
What stinks in your relationship with God? How would your genuine repentance change things?
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Loading ...ODJ: latest craze
The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against Me (v.2).
READ: Isaiah 1:1-28
These days it’s hip to hate God. Unfortunately, the fashion industry is cashing in on this anti-Christian cultural trend. One particular brand of jeans is popular because of its satanic logo. The emblem’s creator admits that it is “an active statement against Christianity.”
While many people think this movement is the latest craze, out-and-out rebellion against God is nothing new. When the Israelites turned away from Him, God said, “The children I raised . . . have rebelled against Me” (Isaiah 1:2). If this statement captures the relationships in your home, check out God’s response to His wayward kids. God said, “My people don’t recognize My care for them” (v.3). Just like Israel, our rebellious children don’t always see our love for them. They tend to reject it in exchange for the acceptance of their friends. It’s okay to remind our kids that we care about them, even if they don’t mirror our affection.
Loving them does not mean enabling them to go on with their insurgency. Rebellion invites punishment. Isaiah described rebels this way: heartsick, injured, helpless, covered in bruises, plundered, and burned (vv.5-7). Although it’s heartbreaking to watch, we can pray that our children’s discomfort will propel them back into harmony with God.
Hurting people are often difficult people. That’s why we need to be reasonable, even when our kids are unreasonable. Israel’s mutiny made God angry, yet His levelheaded approach went like this: “Come now, let’s settle this” (v.18).
Sometimes it’s hard to know what to say to children who are immersed in a culture that despises God. When we lovingly direct them onto the right path (Proverbs 22:6), they will see that faith in Jesus never goes out of style.
—Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Why is it important for rebels to understand God’s love for them? What was God’s ultimate goal in His relationship with His wayward people?
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Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s temple!” (v.8).
READ: 2 Kings 22:8-23:3
While preaching one Sunday morning, I invited three children to search our church sanctuary for several scrolls with Bible verses written on them. Whenever they found a scroll, I would have them read the words aloud, and then I would give them a prize. You should have seen those kids. They ran, moved chairs, and looked under plants and in purses (they had permission). Their quest for the Scriptures was extremely intense, but exciting. In a similar way, we are to search diligently to discover the importance of the Word of God in our lives.
In 2 Kings 22, King Josiah and the people of Judah also discovered the importance of the Word of God in their lives. When Josiah began taking action against idol worship in Judah, Hilkiah found the Book of the Law (probably referring to the book of Deuteronomy—28:61; 29:21) in the temple. It must have been lost or concealed during the reign of King Manasseh. Josiah did several things after uncovering God’s Word. He had it read to him as he listened intently (v.10). In so doing, he became aware of God’s commands. He responded by tearing his clothes in grief (v.11). Then he refined his knowledge by submitting to others who could help him understand it (vv.12-20). Finally, he and the people renewed their commitment to its prominence in their lives by pledging themselves to the covenant written in the Book (23:1-4).
Today, God’s Word is not concealed or lost; it’s at our fingertips. Yet there’s still a need to rediscover its power and prominence in our lives. Let’s spend our time reading, responding, refining our understanding, and renewing our commitment to be changed by its message. —Marvin Williams
How often do you read the Bible? What part of your life needs to be brought in line with its message? What can you do to renew your commitment to its prominence in your life?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: shalom
May there be peace within tyour walls and prosperity in your palaces (v.7).
READ: Psalm 122
One of my neighbors, who was born in Tibet, has taught me the traditional Tibetan greeting, “Tashi Delek.” Whenever I meet him, no matter the time of day, I see his gregarious smile and hear, “Tashi Delek”—and I reply with the same words. The words mean “fine, well” or “all things good.” I look forward to seeing him—and receiving his greeting. There is something rich in this ritual.
The Hebrew word shalom carries a similar connotation. In English, we translate shalom as peace. However, through cultural association and overuse, peace often has a tame sense—denoting some kindly, calm state of passive inner reflection. Shalom, on the other hand, is a strong, active word. To offer someone shalom, as the Jews regularly did during Bible times (and still do today), was to pass on a blessing and to evoke God’s good intentions for His world. Shalom communicates completeness, wholeness, and human delight. In other words, the notion of shalom speaks of the world as God always intended it to be.
This is why rebellion against God is so destructive. As one theologian put it, “Evil is the spoiling of shalom.” When God first created the world, it existed in a state of joy and prosperity (shalom); and He continues to be active in His world, working to bring us back to that good place.
This theme runs throughout the Bible. God is a God of shalom, and He has formed His people to be a people of shalom. We are to work for the “peace and prosperity” of the cities and neighborhoods where we live (Jeremiah 29:7). We are to “search for peace, and work to maintain it” (1 Peter 3:11).
Wherever we go, we carry God’s shalom with us. We receive and spread God’s peace to the world. —Winn Collier
In what area do you need to receive God’s shalom? How can we extend God’s shalom to the world?
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