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.
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