|
I will return again to My place,
until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face,
and in their distress earnestly seek Me.
Hosea 5:15
At the end of our study last week, we saw the Lion returning to His place waiting for His people to acknowledge their guilt and seek His face. We needed this glimmer of hope following the accusations we read. This image reminds us of God’s patience and steadfast love. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). This should draw our hearts back to the promise given at the end of Hosea 3.
Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God,
and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord
and to His goodness in the latter days.
Hosea 3:5
The Lion will appear again in Hosea 11 and 13. These depictions always make me think of a scene from C.S. Lewis’ book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver are describing Aslan. “Why, don’t you know? He’s the King. He’s the Lord of the whole wood. . . He’ll put all to rights. . .” Later one of the children, Lucy, asks, “Then he isn’t safe?” Mr. Beaver responds, “Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good” (pp. 78-80).
My dear sisters, God’s relentless pursuit of us does not always feel safe, but it is so good. How do we know this? In the book of Revelation, we are reminded that this Lion is also a Lamb—slain for us before the creation of the world.
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all,
how will He not also along with Him graciously give us all things?
Romans 8:32
Do you believe that? Taste and see the goodness of God in your life. I don’t know where you are in your journey with Jesus and how you are identifying with the whoring life of Gomer, but my prayer is that you are being drawn back to the arms of this great Lion who is also your Lamb and that you know anew and afresh His kindness and goodness towards you. He loves you! He relentlessly pursues you! And you are safe in His arms.
Resting in His arms,
Paula
| 
