Half-baked bread, a delirious dove, a bent bow. We may not know these ancient metaphors at first glance, but we know we don't want them to describe us. Apart from grace, they do describe us. "Whenever I want to restore the fortunes of My people… the sin of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria are exposed." (Hosea 6:11 – 7:1 NET) God did not judge Israel because He was reluctant to forgive His people's sins. Nor will He judge anyone today for that reason. His judgment came from Israel's unwillingness to turn to Him. Though they cried out from their beds as God's discipline commenced… they still did not cry out to Him. Israel's commitment to God was like bread burnt on one side, raw on the other. She flitted from this false hope to that one, unable to fly straight to safety in Him. Today, sinful man's plight is no different. If God's people are to be restored to Him, He must grant such a change Himself. I hope to see you here this Sunday as we return to our study of Hosea with, "God's Loyal Love: Hope for the Helpless."
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Steve Massey is the pastor of Hayden Bible Church of Hayden, Idaho. He also writes about matters of faith for The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Wash., where he previously worked as an editor and reporter. He and his wife, Pam, have two grown children, Jake and Sarah.
