"All of life is business with God…" John Calvin
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about peace. Rather, I’ve been lamenting the lack of peace that seems to be rending not only our nation and world in some very visible ways, but especially situations closer to home which are breaking my heart and the hearts of people I love. I find myself praying in … Continue reading Striving For Peace
Originally posted December 7, 2019, at Women of Purpose. How can I summarize this study of the book of Hosea? We spent 12 weeks mining the treasures of this book, and I still feel like there’s so much that we didn’t tap, so much still just out of reach. We know that God is love. … Continue reading Hosea Summary and Conclusion
Originally posted November 22, 2019, at Women of Purpose. Oh, sisters, how refreshing it is to come at last to the final chapter of our study. Not because it means that our time is drawing to a close, no, but because we see in chapter 14 of Hosea a model of true, mindful, heartfelt repentance … Continue reading Final Appeal
Originally posted October 20, 2019, at Women of Purpose. The first nine verses of Hosea chapter 9 are hard to read. The prophet Hosea marches into a festal celebration where the people of Israel are enjoying (apparently) the Feast of Tabernacles—or rather, their version of the feast which had merged with the pagan harvest rituals … Continue reading No Worship in a Foreign Land
Originally posted October 11, 2019, at Women of Purpose. This week in our study of Hosea chapter 8, we continue learning the cost of Israel’s iniquities. Their many sins in breaking God’s covenant and rebelling against his law, which included idolatry, alliances with pagan nations, hypocrisy in worship, and self-reliance, trace directly to the root … Continue reading Israel’s Hypocrisy
Originally posted September 13, 2019, at Women of Purpose. This week we dove straight into Hosea. Just like diving into a cold pool on a hot summer day, it was both shocking and refreshing. Hosea was instructed by God to marry a “wife of whoredom” to illustrate to Israel (and Judah) in shocking fashion the … Continue reading Hosea’s Family
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, And therefore he exalts himself To show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait For him. —Isaiah 30:18 While reading through Isaiah this morning as part of my daily read-through-the-Bible plan, I came across this verse … Continue reading Therefore, The LORD…
