Read today’s texts first: Hosea 6-9; Hebrews 3
It works for good or bad, what we sow we reap,
often in greater measure.
often in greater measure.
One of the recurring themes of Scripture is the Law of Reciprocity, or cause and effect. It works for good or bad, what we sow we reap, often in greater measure. Hosea 8:7 introduces this great visual: They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. World leaders have threatened this in great speeches; it’s even become a title of a Star Trek novel! The meaning is simple: if we throw seeds to the wind, wasting what God has given us, the seed becomes worthless and we will reap destruction.
The passage goes on to say: The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour. Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up. Israel is swallowed up; now she is among the nations like a worthless thing. For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey wandering alone (8:7-9). Israel collectively made her choice, rejecting the God who formed them as a nation, brought them out of captivity in Egypt, gave them their promised land, and miraculously fought for them against the surrounding nations. Instead of remaining loyal to this good and loving God, the one true God, they made their own gods and worshipped them. Talk about sowing the wind, worthless worship!
Our last two journal entries talked about free choice. Today we consider the inevitable consequences of our choices. Israel made a series of bad choices and found themselves back in captivity, this time to Assyria. What is remarkable is this merciful God who still pursues us even when we reject him. Hosea 14 (I’m sorry, but I’ve read this before and I know what’s coming) promises: I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots (14:4,5). Israel will choose once again to follow their God and their rootless wanderings into foreign nations will end, for the time being (unfortunately it happens again, and again).
“Lord, Your grace is amazing. We have no one to blame but ourselves when we waste what You have given us and reap devastation. But thank You that You never stop loving us and pursuing us and restoring us!”
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