A Prayerful Resolution

The other day I went for a massage, and it made me think of God.

A weird phenomenon, I know. But when my massage therapist was massaging out my muscle knots, it was really painful. It made me think of all of the times this year when God was 'massaging out' the knots in my life - it's really painful during those times, but in the end, I always feel explosively on fire for Him. So it's a good thing. A God thing.

I've been spiritually dead since I've been in Rupert, and I know it's my fault, but it's just so difficult. So I was thinking about resolutions and goals... I really realized this year that I hardly know how to pray, and that I'm really bad at keeping up my prayer life. So, my new years resolution is to learn to pray. I don't really understand the concept of fasting. I get the surface "I'm not eating for God", but I don't understand the purpose. I want to learn to pray and fast. I want to learn to wear the WHOLE armour of God, too. All of the time. I know that this means giving up things that I want. I want to start spending a whole lot less time on Facebook and a whole lot more time seeking God and his Kingdom.

But how?

somewhere between Canaan and Egypt

Hey team. It's been a long while, and I don't have a whole lot to say tonight either. I've been extremely busy with exams and studying. Luckily, I'm finished this whole semester on Thursday! So exciting. Listen to Wilderness by the OC Supertones.

This week, I've been reading through the book of Hosea. Chapter 2, wow. The chapter starts off with how bad God's people have been, and how upset God is with them. Halfway through the chapter, the whole tone changes. In verse 14, God says "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the desert, and speak tenderly to her." Sure, the rest of the chapter made me swoon - I am SO in love with my creator! Look at verse 19, God says: "And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy." I am just amazed. But verse 14 really stood out to me. Here's why:

Generally, when I think of being in the desert, I think of a time of real spiritual 'dryness', or deprivation. It's not a time that I ever look forward to. I don't know if that's what God means here, but even if He is literally leading Israel into the desert, it doesn't sound like a good time. Other translations use the word wilderness. Spiritually, it could be a time when things are dangerous and new and frightening. Literally, the wilderness doesn't seem to be somewhere that anyone just goes for a good time.

But what comes next? God says that He'll speak tenderly to her there. Our time in the desert may just be an opportunity for God to gently reshape us. To speak tenderly to us.

Our God loves us so much. There's no denying that.