Tender Words in the Wilderness – The Crosswalk Devotional

Tender Phrases within the Wilderness 
By Deidre Braley 

Bible Studying
Subsequently, I’m going to influence her, lead her into the wilderness, and communicate tenderly to her. – Hosea 2:14

Within the ebook of Hosea, the Lord rebukes Israel for her idolatry—specifically for chasing after different gods and forgetting her old flame, and for forgetting that it was God who gave her each good factor she’d ever had. Her worship had been misplaced: she’d mistaken the worldly issues round her because the supply of goodness. 

God says, “She doesn’t acknowledge that it’s I who gave her the grain, the brand new wine, and the recent oil. I lavished gold and silver on her, which they used for Baal” (Hosea 2:8). As a consequence, he proclaims that he’ll take these presents away, itemizing them one after the other to indicate how forsaken Israel can be with out her God. “I’ll punish her for the feast days of the Baals when she burned choices to them and adorned herself together with her ring and jewellery, and went after her lovers and forgot me, declares the Lord” (Hosea 2:13). 

Because the shadows develop lengthy on this yr, I can’t assist however replicate on all of the Baals I’ve worshiped these previous months, all of the worldly issues I’ve wandered in the direction of, misunderstanding them to be the supply of the riches and joys that I’ve and that I need. And but whilst I’ve gotten my fingers round them, they’ve turnt and spoiled. Like a carton of milk that’s nice in the future and bitter the subsequent, I’m holding one thing that I as soon as thought was good, however now know will make me sick if I devour it. 

What a horrible and horrifying factor, to be left bowing and providing sacrifices to the fickle whims of man or probability. Right here within the desert place, I repent of the lovers I’ve gone after this yr, panting after reward or acclaim or value or self. I lengthy for my old flame, right here the place I maintain what I assumed I wished, solely to find it’s value nothing in any respect with out my Lord. 

I think about that is how Israel felt, too—and maybe there was no different method for them or for me to appreciate that we don’t prefer to be within the arms of that which by no means cherished us nor offered for us. Now we have to expertise the complete and crushing weight of life with out God earlier than we are able to know that that is our worst worry—and our best heartache. 

However, hallelujah, God doesn’t go away us right here. In Hosea, we see God’s mercy towards his individuals when he says, “Subsequently, I’m going to influence her, lead her into the wilderness, and communicate tenderly to her” (Hosea 2:14). He permits us to return to a spot with out him to know that we have been at all times meant to be with him, however then he doesn’t shake us or yell at us or slap us again into submission—no, it’s fairly the other. He leads us into solitary locations the place he can communicate softly and tenderly to us, loving us as we’ve at all times longed to be cherished till we keep in mind that he’s the Supply and the Means, the Fact and the Life (John 14:6). 

Intersecting Religion & Life:

On this season of Creation, as we await the approaching Christ, let’s every take an trustworthy have a look at the Baals that we’ve worshiped and adopted after this yr—whether or not that’s the reward of man or monetary achieve or inflation of ego or the consolation of any substance. Let’s acknowledge the methods we’ve positioned them earlier than the Lord after which repent, turning round and permitting ourselves to be led again into the wilderness by our old flame, by the One True Residing God who’s ready to talk tenderly to us, to scrub us in his mercy and beauty. 

On this season of Creation, allow us to return to the Supply and let him press balm to our drained and wounded spirits. Let’s come to relaxation within the safety of his hand, permitting it to cup us and defend us from this world we thought we wished. 

Additional Studying:
Hosea
Isaiah 1
Acts 3:19

Picture Credit score: ©iStock/Getty Photos Plus/Givaga 

Deidre Braley is a spouse and mom to 3 kids. She is the writer and host behind The Second Cup, a group of essays, poems, and podcast episodes the place holiness and humanity collide. She not too long ago revealed her debut poetry assortment, The Shape I Take. Deidre is an editor with The Truly Co, and a contributor for The Way Back to Ourselves and Aletheia Today, amongst others. Her ideally suited day is spent consuming chocolate croissants and having lengthy chats about writing, goals, and theology. Join with Deidre on Instagram @deidrebraley.

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