Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. Hosea 6:1-2 

Remember what it was like to go after something that you knew wasn’t really good for you?  It was hard to convince yourself that you shouldn’t have it because it sure felt great. Indulgence made you momentarily happy.  God has a way of tearing those things out of our hands. If you’ve lived through God’s discipline, the feelings of loss are probably still quite vivid. 

Before God can form a leader, He must remove all the props that give His child a false sense of security. He needs disciples who will hear His voice and obey.  Other entanglements and allegiances will create distance in the relationship.  There won’t be a connection to fuel the faith necessary for the calling.  

Today, perhaps you lay in a heap. You are under God’s correction. What you trusted in has been taken away from you. The person you needed has been torn from your grasp. You might wonder how you will go on. Is God really there? Oh yes. Hosea’s God-breathed words about God’s character rings through the centuries and seeks to find rest in the middle of our torment. God removes the props, but He does heal. God strikes, but He also binds our wounds. His voice will be tender and instructive as He extends a new beginning. 

Hosea’s words are also prophetic. Can you hear the familiar ring of His narrative?  “After two days, He will revive us, on the third day He will raise us up.”  This foreshadowed Jesus, the One who would rest in the grave for two days, but then burst forth to new life on the third. The one to whom we surrender today is the only One who has the power to resurrect. He delights in bestowing life beyond the graves of our own making. 

No one restores like You. No one. I surrender to the many faces of Your love. Amen