Day 12

A Plea to Repent

from the Hosea reading plan


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.

Post Comments (52)

52 thoughts on "A Plea to Repent"

  1. Jennifer Lumley says:

    So thankful for a good and gracious God who never leaves and always calls to us

  2. Allison Sherwood says:

    God’s gift is definitely His grace! He never needed to but always chose to!

  3. Sarah Morrison says:

    Return

  4. Brandy Peterson says:

    I am leaning in to some hard decisions and hard conversations. I am trying to walk out obedience and will spend some time today in prayer and repentance. Then I will have some necessary conversations.

  5. Virginia says:

    Oh, how beautiful! Yes. This is all of us, yet God is so good and so gracious.

  6. Karen Roper says:

    Amen

  7. Sky Hilton says:

    I thinks it’s amazing how God considers us His workmanship. I once thought that God would never see me that way. And I really do think it’s beautiful how God wants us to repent, so He can spend time with us in heaven forever. After all we did, killed His son, disobeyed Him, turned His back on Him, He is still loving us through all of it. Ans still waiting for us to come back to Him, where we all belong, to repent. Repenting, and coming back to Him is the best choice we can ever make in our lives ❤️

  8. Rhonda J. says:

    Since this is the end to this wonderful study of Hosea, I thought I would throw out there that I started reading the book Redeeming Love! The author was on the first podcast I believe, so it intrigued me and I think someone here also mentioned the book in the last study! It is loosely based on Hosea, and how he takes the prostitute bride. I read often so thought this would be good. Thank you for all the comments, wisdom, and love throughout all these studies we do here daily together! Such a great community to grow and learn together God’s word!
    Oh- I also have a problem with mindless shopping and buying! I definitely have cut this bad habit down and try to live more minimalistic, but I still find myself going through stores just to browse and “waste time” rather than doing good for others or for God! So include me in those prayers. I have done way better not being on social media time-wasting but in the word which is amazing spiritually! I am still wanting to seek a home church in my new area, and praying that my husband will be a little more anxious to join me in the hunt! Thank you! Have a nice wkd everyone.

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