– Hosea
5:15-6:6 – God longs for His people
to return to Him. He makes an appeal to return to and know God. Like a parent
at the point of despair, twice God asks about his people, “What shall I do with you?” Here is another insight into the kind of
God we have. He longs to have his people with him in covenantal love and
loyalty.
God has
appealed to them through the prophets. He sent judgment to get them to repent.
He wants from his people love and a relationship of peace, but they are content
to render cheap sacrifices and burnt offerings. Here we find a wooing and
pursuing God and a people whose love for God is fickle.
The LORD desires his
people to return. We can almost hear some say, “Why go back to God” What good
will that do? How can things be any better than what we have now?” These verse
point to the goodness and mercy of God. As in the Gospel, God expects his people
to show similar love than to observe religious events.
People today as in each
generation, need to return to the LORD; to the Christian faith. A wholesale
departure from the faith is show by today’s secularism, pluralism, idolatry,
commercialism, hedonism, and narcissism. Hosea offers hope for this world.
If we return to God.
1. He will restore you – V.1
2. He will revive you – V.2
3. He will refresh you – V.3[2]
Collect for Proper 5 – Almighty and most merciful God, You sent
Your Son, Jesus Christ, to seek and to save the lost. Graciously open our ears
and our hearts to hear His call and to follow Him by faith that we may feast
with Him forever in His kingdom, through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who
lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[3] - Tuesday, June 6, 2023
[1] God so loved the world copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series A, John Brokhoff © 1980 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
[3] Collect for Proper 5, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. St. Louis
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