September 4, 2010 

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

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September 4, 2010 

READ: Read Ephesians 4:17-24 

Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. —Ephesians 4:24 

Got Botox? A lot of people do. Some take Botox treatments for health matters, but many take them be-cause they want to look young again.

Appearance is so important to some Botox users that they allow themselves to be injected with botulinum toxin type A so that their wrinkles will disappear for a while. Later, the treatment must be administered again.

Botox is expensive, and it comes with possible negative side effects. But that doesn’t stop people from giving it a try so they can look better.

Of course, looking good is not a bad thing, but a more important consideration is how we look on the inside. How much are we willing to sacrifice to have beautiful character?

Are we willing to take some “Botox for the soul”—to inject ourselves with the kind of loving gentleness, merciful patience, caring interest in others, unselfish kindness, and unity of spirit that can beautify our lives? (Eph. 4:2-3). Are we willing to keep coming back to God for help in getting the spiritual character enhancement we need?

Looking for ways to look good? Search the Bible for character-building verses. Then through prayer and the Spirit’s empowering, inject the godly traits of those verses into your life. The side effects are all good. —Dave Branon

September 3, 2010 

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

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)