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. Hosea 6:1
My wife and I watch
one of our granddaughters several times each week. She is now 14 months and
wants to explore every power cord, open every cabinet door, pull on the blinds,
and attempt to climb on anything her little body can reach. As she attempts to
do these dangerous things, it’s necessary for us to stop her actions by saying “no”,
swat her hand, or remove her from the activity that we know will only bring her
harm. When we do, she whines and fusses, until something else grabs her
attention. It’s a busy (and exhausting) day keeping up with her energy level.
This morning, I
opened my bible and this verse in Hosea came to light. As a child of God, we
are sealed with His promise of eternal salvation, but most of all His presence in
our lives. Just as parents (and grandparents) are concerned about our children’s
safety, so is God. He sees us heading toward danger, and His Holy Spirit
attempts to summon us back to the narrow path. But just like children, we often
are more focused on what’s behind that closed door, that invitation to take
part in something dangerously pleasureful, even venture into a relationship
that isn’t right for our wellbeing. At that point, God has done His part, and He
releases us to be on our own until we experience the pain of disobedience.
God is always
watching and ready to take us back, and that’s the beautiful thing about His abundant
love and unwarranted grace. This doesn’t mean we need to freely chose the world
than retreat back to God. But on those days when life’s choices aren’t aligned
with His will, we can always count on God’s loving hand of discipline to bring
us back to a safe place.
Maybe you’ve been
living on the edge of the world, yet still acknowledge a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ. Friend, it’s time to find your way back to the narrow path
of life. Nothing this world has to offer can yield God’s blessings, only regret
and shame. Come back to the One who can heal your worldly scars, give you hope
in your hopeless situation, and most of all give you the love you so desire to
experience this side of the grave.
