August 25, 2021 -- Hosea 10:12-13 -- Break up your hard heart

12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
    reap steadfast love;
    break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the Lord,
    that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

13 You have plowed iniquity;
    you have reaped injustice;
    you have eaten the fruit of lies.

Hosea 10:12-13 ESV

There is a warning and an invitation in these two short verses. The warning in found in verse 13. This is how the people have lived—they have been working hard at iniquity (that is immoral and grossly unfair behavior). The people acted as if they were not under God’s scrutiny and have been gathering up injustice—plundering the poor, taking advantage of the simple, profiting off the marginalized. Such wicked behaviour has not gone unnoticed—the LORD sees everything, what is done publicly and what is done in secret, what is unacknowledged shame and what is cruel and maliciousness enacted against others, His children. All that happens under heaven will not go unpunished.

The invitation is verse 12. Sow, or plant, seeds of righteousness. Do the good you know the LORD is calling you to do. In response to the Word and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, let your life reflect the splendour of Jesus Christ. The crusty places of your hardened heart, the places where you have closed yourself off to good and holy ways, plow that, so that your heart is receptive to the things of God. Seek the LORD. With the same effort that used to be employed in sinful pursuits, go after God and the things you know are excellent, good, holy, pure, and true. Notice what God’s response will be—He will rain righteousness on you. You will receive the soul-refreshment required to continue such activities.

King of Glory, Father of All-Mercy, forgive me for the times I have been working so hard at sinful activities and sowing seeds of wickedness. It is madness to go after such things. I confess this. Spirit of the Living God, reveal to me the radiance of Jesus and give me an urgent desire to follow Him, no matter what. Spirit of God, add to this desire the energy to work at holiness with my mind and body so that in all things, Jesus Christ is praised, to the glory of the Father. Thank You, glorious God, for the twin promises of Your presence and the refreshing rain of righteousness which You will pour out. Amen.

https://youtu.be/ELi8hN0PYBU