Hosea 12

How many times have we heard 'well, he's a christian and he does _____, so he's not any better than me.' It's at the forefront in my brain because I've heard it recently...and ultimately, isn't that the truth?! We're all God's children, and without his divine help we are all lost (just like the guy who says the above).

"So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually." - 12:6

I see a lot of application here. First, when Hosea says 'So you, by the help of your God, return'- it serves as a reminder that we all stray and need to be looking for the help of our God to return. I'm not even talking about backsliding- I think it can be a daily return to Him. I mean, who doesn't want to seek the Lord's help? It certainly can apply to the larger issues that occupy our minds and hearts too, but I feel like the harder problems to deal with are the daily battles that we fight that require our 'return'- our reliance upon God.

Second, the observance of 'mercy and justice'. I was curious what the definition of observe was, and this is what I found: to conform one's action or practice to (as a law, rite, or condition) : comply with. Mercy and justice are pillars of God's character, and he's calling us to make ourselves more like him by practicing both. Ya know, if I was put in the situation God was in with Israel, there really isn't much doubt that I wouldn't be feeling merciful...I would want justice! 'I hope they get what they deserve' (i.e. justice)...those are words that I've used many a time. Maybe my heart needs a little tuning- because God certainly chased Israel long after I would have said 'Fine! I'll see you when you get back!'

This ties into the last third part of the passage- "wait on your God continually." We want mercy and justice in our time, all the time. I consult God in prayer for solutions to problems and expect an immediate answer. It seems that the reason we're to wait on Him continually is because He understands that we need to be told 'No' and 'not yet' far more often than we're told 'yes'. If we are waiting on Him continually, it would seem that not only our prayer lives, but our daily time in the Word, our fasting, and our closeness to the Lord would substantially increase.