Holston Daily Devotional December 3, 2020

Devotion

The words of the prophet Hosea are a challenge in any season. During Advent they take a little eggnog or hot chocolate, you name your favorite cozy seasonal beverage, to soften the directness of their blow. Spend a moment thinking about the backstory of Hosea: he is a prophet who used his own personal life as a witness to the faithfulness of God. Hosea was asked to marry Gomer and, because he was faithful to God, took her as his wife though he knew she would ultimately be unfaithful. Their children were named to describe the brokenness of the covenant between God and God's people.

Yet despite Gomer's unfaithfulness, Hosea continues to love. If the assumption of Gomer's behavior prior to the marriage is accurate, she was promiscuous. When she broke vows with Hosea and went to another man, there was no surprise in her acting in the comfort of the familiar. Hosea tells the Israelites that they, too, are familiar with and comfortable here now meaning the worshiping handmade idols of the local gods which were controllable, acceptable statues. The people return to this behavior over and over again. The circuitous pattern of the relationship with God and God's people is: covenant/respect of God/rejection and distress apart from God/redemption by God.

The first verse reminds us that God came to a breaking point with God's people. The significance of that is weighty and should not be dismissed as ancient history. Yet what is God's ultimate response? Healing; redemption; the presence of God. Verse 2 is held to reference the destruction of the first and second temples but, as before, note that this verse ends on a message of hope. "We may live in his presence" holds a tremendous promise. Redemption for the people means there will be sacred space in which to worship. Redemption also means that we will be allowed in God's presence and that we will survive it, rather than perish, as we are told in Exodus 33:20.

Meteorologists are hard-pressed to acknowledge the value of rain apart from a drought. A sunny day is always a good day. But the truth of the Biblical narrative is that rain brings life. Nothing grows and thrives apart from rain, and Hosea tells us that what we know of the cycle of weather will remind us of the faithfulness of God. God will come and bring life-giving rain, which will allow people to heal; their relationship with God to grow; their faith to blossom and bear fruit.

Yet God despairs. What are you like, O Judah, except the mists of the early morning that vanish in the heat, the examination, of the sun? Your faithfulness is not reliable; you cannot last. Times become difficult, and you return to what is familiar, easy, and accepted around you. God tells the people what God desires: mercy, not sacrifice.

Is this Word from the Lord to Judah relevant to our lives, our churches, or our season of Advent? What does a mercy centered Advent look like?

During Advent, it is so easy to appear religious for a time. Memes are made about whether or not it is socially acceptable to say Merry Christmas to a store clerk, but do you see memes debating whether or not you and your family will set apart time to worship and prepare your hearts for the coming of the Christ Child? Which of those choices has more lasting value in a faithful relationship with God? Which of those choices demonstrates mercy, which is desired by God?

We want to give to charity; it is culturally acceptable to give out of our abundance to others during the holidays. Charity, which is love, does not mean what we make of it today. Neither does mercy, which is more than forgiveness; it is Jesus' entreaty in Luke 6:31 to do likewise as you would have done to you. Isn't that the depth of forgiveness? In a world where we judge others on their actions and ourselves on our intentions, it is incredibly easy to say who does and does not need forgiveness. But what we crave is to be understood for what we really mean and to be judged accordingly. Our actions belie our hearts, just as the Israelites came to God asking for mercy over and over and then, instead of changing their ways, they did what was easy; they did what the world around them was doing.

God speaks through Hosea: Don't try to fix this with a sacrifice. Don't come at me with another calf or lamb or pigeon. Come with your hearts. And treat others as you wish with your whole heart that they were treating you.

Prayer

"I want to walk as a child of the light, I want to follow Jesus. God set the stars to give light to the world: the Star of my life is Jesus. In him there is no darkness at all; The night and the day are both alike. The Lamb is the light of the city of God. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus." UM Hymnal # 206. May I find the courage to show mercy in deep, hard places where the truth is hidden by my fear. May I remember that God is like the healing of the rain that comes faithfully. May I know that despite the times that I turn to what is comfortable and what gains approval from my neighbor, the prevenient grace of God prepared me to walk as a child of the light.

Amen