December 7 - Back on Track

Our Christian lives are filled with ups and downs, periods of highs and lows, all are directly related to our walk with the Lord. When sin comes into our relationship with the Lord, He will begin to do something to get our attention. Because of our sins, He may tear us, strike us and even allow the adversary to work in our lives. In other words, whatever happened to Israel in Hosea’s day can happen to anyone of us, and so the prescription the prophet gave to the people of his day can apply to all of us.

Hosea’s plea has several parts. He begins with calling sinful Israel and Judah to return to the Lord. Returning is an act of repentance, a U-turn from whatever they are doing and begin to walk in the way of the Lord. Repentance is not only feeling sorry for sins committed, it is to stop and go the opposite way. If your sin is hatred, you do not only stop hating but begin loving others in a concrete way. Most repentance in our churches involves only feeling sorry and stopping but not returning or taking a U-turn.

When we are sinning, we suffer dire consequences. Not only do we lose the presence and protection of God, we open the door for the adversary and destroyer to come into our lives, our families and our churches. The result is often a lot of wounding and hurts in our lives and in the lives of others associated with us. Sin and the results of sin spread fast and reactionary sins are sometimes more potent than the original offense. When we return to the Lord, we must allow God to heal us and to bind up our wounds. No one can go on life’s journey with wounds all over the body.

The healing process can be brief: after two days He will revive us and on the third day He will raise us up that we may live before Him again. This is a close parallel to the Lord’s death and resurrection. We all need a third day experience of restoration and revival. However, healing is not our final goal, it is only a means to an end and that end is to know God more because of the experience. All of us need to learn from our mistakes and so not to get into that again.

The only guarantee for us not to get into sin and hurts is to pursue God, to get to know Him more. Like Paul’s goal in life was to know Christ and the power of His resurrection so that he could live in the fellowship of His suffering. In striving to know God, one would see the light of His presence. He will come to us like spring rain that waters the earth. Showers of blessing will start pouring on us and much refreshing and reviving will come. The key is to press on to know Him, not just for a moment but for a lifetime. Begin the process of returning, healing, restoration and knowing God now.