Daily Devotional for January 20, 2015
Hosea 9
Scripture:
Hosea 9:7-9 The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand. Let Israel know this. Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac. The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God. They have sunk deep into corruption, as in the days of Gibeah. God will remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.
Observation:
In 2004 an earthquake in the Indian Ocean produced a tsunami that killed over 200,000 people in the region. At that time there weren’t any early warning systems to prepare the people for the impending disaster. Therefore, many of the victims were caught by surprise. Thankfully, today we have early warning systems for many natural disasters. I still get a little uptight when I hear the tornado siren whining.
Regardless of how good the early warning systems are, they are only effective if the people heed the warning delivered. In many ways the prophet served as an early warning system for God’s judgment due to sinful living. In Hosea, not only are the people not listening to the warning, they are dismissing the prophet as a fool. Can you imagine being startled awake at night by the beeping of the fire alarm in your house and simply rolling over and going back to sleep. I agree, that would be foolish.
As a Spirit-empowered man, there are two sides of this lesson for us. First, we must heed the voice of the Lord when He is speaking to us through others. Secondly, God may speak through you to deliver a message to others. Whichever side you find yourself on, we must discern the voice of the Lord, listen, and then obey. God often chooses to use others to deliver His messages. When that message is in line with God’s Word and the Holy Spirit is challenging your heart, we must respond.
Application:
- Personal Application: When God speaks, we must respond and obey.
- 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 there are times when God will speak through others to fulfill His plan and purpose. It is important to pray for discernment to know when it’s the voice of the Lord. Pray for them.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Ask God for the discernment to hear God’s voice as He speaks through others.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that your family will always respect and honor God’s chosen leaders.
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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