"Come, let us return to the LORD. He
has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will
bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may
live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know
him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of
rains in early spring." "O Israel and Judah, what should I do with
you?" asks the LORD. "For your love vanishes like the morning mist
and disappears like dew in the sunlight. I sent my prophets to cut you to
pieces--to slaughter you with my words, with judgments as inescapable as light.
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than
I want burnt offerings." Hosea 6:1-6
Repent. Turn to the Lord or return to the
Lord. God wants us to be pure and holy…as He is. Do you realize that only by
being holy will you be able to stand before the Lord in Heaven one day? God
spoke to Moses and gave him guidance for the Israelites.
Give the following instructions to the
entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God,
am holy. Leviticus 19:2
Even before he made the world, God loved us
and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians
1:4
For God saved us and called us to live a holy
life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan
from before the beginning of time--to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 2
Timothy 1:9
Then Jesus told this story to some who had
great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:
"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was
a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer:
'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't
cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that
tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'
"But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his
eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O
God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not
the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt
themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be
exalted." Luke 18:9-14
Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may
praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not
want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You
will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Look with favor on Zion
and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with
sacrifices offered in the right spirit--with burnt offerings and whole burnt
offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.
Psalm 51:15-19
 |
| Humbled...like this old broken pot seen in Israel. |
Humble. That is what God wants us to
do…humble ourselves. Admit that we are sinners. We need a broken spirit—a
humbled spirit—a repentant heart. When we as individuals and as a nation do
that—humble ourselves—then God will forgive us, bless us and restore us.
Then if my people who are called by my name
will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked
ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their
land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Do you want to be “restored” or forgiven?
Do you want to be obedient to God?
Prayer
~ Lord, The humble will see their God—You—at work and be glad. Let all who seek
Your help be encouraged. Psalm 69:32. I come before You…and ask You to forgive
me. Direct my path, my thoughts, my words and my actions that I would please You.
©
2020 Textand photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House Publishers,
Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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