1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God.
Your sins have been your downfall!
2 Take words with you
and return to the LORD.
Say to him:
"Forgive all our sins
and receive us graciously,
that we may offer the fruit of our lips.
3 Assyria cannot save us;
we will not mount war-horses.
We will never again say `Our gods'
to what our own hands have made,
for in you the fatherless find compassion." Hosea14:1-3
This is a beautiful passage of repentance:
Notice the steps:
1. Realise your brokenness
2. Prepare words
3. Return to the Lord
4. Acknowledge that nothing else can save you
5. Experience the compassion of the Father.
Now look at how Jesus tells the story of the Prodigal Son (remembering that Hosea has moved from the Husband metaphor to the Father metaphor.)
"When he came to his senses, he said, `How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father." (Luke 15)
Look at the steps:
1. Hosea: Your sins have been your downfall
Prodigal: I am starving to death - I have sinned.
2&3. Hosea: Take words with you and return
Prodigal: I will go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you
4.Hosea: Assyria cannot save us...
Prodigal: How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! (My own plan didn't work - I need to be with my father)
We'll look at 5 tomorrow...
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
