Day 64 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day sixty-four of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. We have finished Daniel (27 down, 39 to go). If you want to see the readings for our trip through the Bible you can follow this link:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 64 Readings: Daniel 9:1-Hosea 13:6

Our texts for this day involve some rather cryptic texts from Daniel (akin to Revelation) about the end times. Perhaps we'll visit these when we get to Revelation (not so likely, but perhaps).

Hosea includes a rather disturbing prophetic instructional aid. Hosea is told to find an unfaithful wife and marry her. His kids get names like "Jezreel" (which contains a promise meaning "God sows"), "not loved" and "not my people." The end of chapter one says that these names will be reversed in that God's people will be loved and will indeed be God's people. Little consolation to the kids on the first day of class. "Oh, you are not-my-people BarHosea?!? You must be the little brother of not-loved and your big brother is Jezreel, right?"

Hosea's willingness to inflict his wife and kids with their family arrangement and those names says much about how intently Hosea was willing to communicate the broken nature of the relationship between God and the people. For the remainder of today's readings the punishment and judgment that is coming Israel's way is articulated. God has faithfully loved Israel (as depicted by Hosea's love for Gomer) yet Israel has not been the faithful spouse.

One would hope that Hosea would not have to spell the dysfunction out so profoundly and so clearly but it seems that it is required. Hosea shows up at most twice in any given year in the lectionary. We don't like steeping ourselves in reminders of our own faithlessness. Yet, here it is spelled out in scripture.

How might we let God draw us into being more faithful? Into knowing God's love for us? Into knowing that we are God's people? How might we let God sow in us and reap in us that which is God-pleasing and life-giving?


God, help us hear the words of Hosea. Help us not be a Gomer. Let us love you and act as your people. Amen.