A Plea to Repent
Open Your Bible
Hosea 14:1-9, 2 Chronicles 16:9, Psalm 52:1-9, Ephesians 2:1-10
BY Patti Sauls
Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. It was a painstaking process for our youngest daughter to navigate stairs. Her sensory issues muddled her balance, and she often stumbled and fell as she missed steps. I would stoop behind her, with my hands lightly cupping the back of her heels, helping to plant each foot firmly, step by step, as she climbed.
The book of Hosea also reveals a painstaking walk of faith. Gomer fell hard, time and time again, as she strayed from her husband and chased other lovers. Yet the prophet graciously pursued, forgave, and redeemed his adulterous wife. These marriage dynamics reflect Israel’s own rocky relationship with God. Instead of trusting the God who saved them, they sought security in foreign allegiances. Instead of worshipping the God who loved them, they fawned over false gods. Like Gomer, they lost their footing and fell hard.
How solid is our footing in our walk of faith? Hosea’s plea to Israel, “Take words of repentance with you and return to the LORD” (Hosea 14:2), speaks to me and startles me. Return to God? I didn’t even know I’d left. But, deep down I do know. Just like Gomer and Israel, I betray God again and again. I stumble and fall. Even though I believe in God and want to trust Him, I reject Him whenever I chase lesser things to satisfy my deepest desires for security, status, and stuff.
Hosea’s call to return and repent is personal. Just this week, I’ve allowed a hidden bitterness in my heart to fester and grow. I’ve overlooked my grumbling thoughts, avoided conflict, and faked nice. Instead of admitting my sin, I’ve settled for self-pity. I’ve missed a step and stumbled into resentment as I’ve rejected God’s way of reconciliation. What’s my next step? Repentance. I can take words with me and return to the Lord. Instead of ignoring my vague sense of being off-balance, I can specifically confess my sin to Him.
We all stumble and fall in the real walk of faith. But, like my daughter on the stairs, we don’t walk alone. Left foot, right foot. We take a step forward in faith with the Lord—left foot. Yet we step into unbelief and sin, too. So, we return to God in repentance—right foot. He graciously forgives and never stops leading and loving us. This is the gift of walking by faith. “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8–9). God is always with us, helping us plant each foot firmly, step by step as we go.
52 thoughts on "A Plea to Repent"
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“Instead of admitting my sin, I’ve settled for self-pity”
Wow did these words jump right out at me! I find myself in this moment just about every day. Maybe even a couple times a day. This study of Hosea has been beautiful! Heart wrenching, but beautiful. -
“Instead of admitting my sin, I’ve settled for self-pity” these words jumped right out at me.
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I love that God is constant; in this life where so many things can change in a moment’s notice, God is faithful. Happy Friday sisters!❤️
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Remember and return…it sounds so simple, yet we make it so complex! It feels so complex. Realizing today that I can run from the Lord regarding my PTSD. I don’t trust Him to heal me because I’ve been to such dark places. But I have to remember the way the Lord has shown up in these and other situations and trust His story. I would appreciate prayer as I walk this path!
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Praise God! Thank you for sharing this good news!
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I have gleaned so much more from this Bible study than I could have imagined! I’ve been away doing Disaster Relief in Louisiana for the first part and have been trying to catch up since I got home. Thank you SRT for the podcasts! As with so many of our studies, it all comes back to “God’s faithful love is constant.” Ps 52:1
Praying for all of you dear Sisters! May we all feel the true joy that comes from knowing, “ You (we) are saved by grace!” -
Thank you Patti for such a wonderful commentary today. It was pure balm to my heart. And thank you SRT for another wonderful study. This has been incredibly enlightening.
Melissa & Gwendolyn I’ll be joining in this prayer circle, if I may, because I too find shopping to be my go to when stress storms in. Now I’m buried in clothes & stuff that NEED to find new homes. I really want to live simply loving my Jesus, my family.
Blessed weekend to all y’all. -
What a study! First time I listened to the podcast and what a difference it made for me. I’m so thankful for SRT! Patti Sauls visual of left foot, right foot, was so helpful. I feel that everyday. I start out on my right and switch to my left. I pray to stay in God’s presence throughout the day. I have made some changes. Listening to christian music in my car. I have an amazing view that I thank God for everyday. It is magnificent and I know that God created it all. So so thankful.
MAURA – I would like that very much! How about a Saturday. It has been so cold in the mornings. I’m in Fort Collins. Let me know how you’d like to connect on meeting. I have been praying for christian women to come into my life. God is good! I’m so happy that you were left with some much needed items. What a blessing!
FOSTER MAMA – I pray for a relaxing & restorative time with your sister and mama.
BRIANNA – Oh the fear you must have experienced. Thankful your baby girl was okay.
TAYLOR – your words are appreciated.
MELISSA – God over stuff! I needed to hear that. We just refurnished our home and it became such a chore. I’m ready to just sit with God. To not hold onto stuff. To know it can all go away in an instant. I’m in prayer with you on this.
DOROTHY – I pray that God will heal your family ties.
LADIES – I pray for all of you!
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