Daily Devotional for January 18, 2015
Hosea 7
Scripture:
Hosea 7:1-3 whenever I would heal Israel, the sins of Ephraim are exposed and the crimes of Samaria revealed. They practice deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets; but they do not realize that I remember all their evil deeds. Their sins engulf them; they are always before me. “They delight the king with their wickedness, the princes with their lies.
Observation:
The trap of sin can catch even the most obedient man when he loses his focus on Jesus. The discipleship journey is a constant walk that needs attention every day. Sin can take us to places we didn’t want to go, keep us longer than we wanted to stay, and cost us more than we are willing to give. Hosea is pleading with the Israelites to repent from doing evil in the sight of the Lord. For us, it is reassuring to know that Jesus died on the cross so that we can be forgiven. Hence, there is no need to hide.
This passage reminds us that God knows all of our thoughts and sees all of our actions. Knowing that God sees everything is an encouragement to those who are fully committed to Him. God sees every act of obedience and hears every expression of worship. Those who have turned their back on God, similarly, cannot escape the limits of His knowledge. Regardless of where you find yourself today, take a moment to surrender your heart to God. Don’t hide, the Holy Spirit is here to help accomplish the purpose that God has called you to.
Application:
- Personal Application: Continue to keep your heart pure before the Lord. If there is sin in your life, repent and turn back to God. He already knows your struggle, don’t delay in talking to Him about it.
- Family Devotional: Read this chapter to your family. Ask them if anything spoke to them as you read. Talk about their answers and show them that one important aspect of this chapter is that God is omniscient, which means He is all knowing. God knows our thoughts and our actions. Encourage them to stay pure before the Lord. Pray for them.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Ask God’s forgiveness for any sin in your life. Ask God to help you stay close to Him on this discipleship journey.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that your family will not try to hide thoughts or actions from the Lord. Pray that they will surrender all areas of their life to the Lord and stay close to Him.
Three Year Reading Plan for Sunday, January 17 – Sunday, January 24:
- Sunday, January 17: Hosea 6
- Monday, January 18: Hosea 7
- Tuesday, January 19: Hosea 8
- Wednesday, January 20: Hosea 9
- Thursday, January 21: Hosea 10
- Friday, January 22: Hosea 11
- Saturday, January 23: Hosea 12
- Sunday, January 24: Hosea 13
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
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