Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Bring her into the wilderness And speak kindly to her. Then I will give her her vineyards from there, And the valley of Achor as a door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.” - Hosea 2:14-15
Lord,
It’s during the times when it feels like I am losing my grip on all that I hold dear that it is the easiest to believe that you are displeased with me.
Like Gomer in the story of Hosea, God, sometimes you lead your people into places where we are no longer surrounded by what is normal. It can feel chaotic, frustrating, and very much like you are far from our struggle.
But the opposite is true. You are never far from me in my weariness or chaos. You are near to me. And just like in Gomer’s case, you long to allure, even in the wilderness, so that you can show me how much you love me. To pull my heart away from all that keeps it enslaved.
Help me to remember the words of David in Psalms 18:19 when he wrote, “He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” Just as you delighted in rescuing Gomer and David, show me how you delight in rescuing me. Help me to remember that when it seems like I’m losing everything, you’re just helping me to make room for all you want to give me.
Help me to remember the words of your son in John 15:2 when he says, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
When it’s hard for me to trust what your hands are doing, help me to trust the goodness of your heart toward me. Help me to rest in your wonderful intentions to grow me into all you want me to become and to deepen my intimacy with you.
Lord, today, in the midst of the chaos, remind me that you call me your beloved.
Amen
