My husband’s hobby is gardening, or, as I affectionately describe it, “puttering around in the yard.” Despite my good-natured ribbing, I greatly appreciate the lush results of his diligence. Now, after a few years of consistent care, our backyard flower beds have transformed from nondescript piles of lumpy, orange clay into a hidden oasis where wisteria vines dance across the fence. Hydrangea and peony blooms greet us throughout the summer months, and butterfly bushes, heavy with blossoms, host monarchs that flit about.
It’s a lovely, peaceful site and one that hinges on a single element more than any other for its survival: water. We’re fortunate to live in a part of Virginia that receives decent amounts of rain. Yet even so, summer temperatures can scorch our plants to such a degree that my husband spends 30 minutes watering on any day without significant rainfall.
Rain sustains life and allows for regenerative growth; it may be one of the reasons Hosea references it in 10:12, writing, “until He comes and sends righteousness on you like the rain.” It’s an allusion rife with meaning. Chapters 9 and 10, which lead to this pronouncement, make the dire situation clear—Israel’s behavior has been such that “they have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity; He will punish their sins” (Hosea 9:9). Hosea says, “Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt” (Hosea 10:2).
And yet, there is hope; just as rain ushers in the promise of life in the midst of a dry and arid drought, so does Christ’s righteousness restore us to new life in and through Him. Without it, we perish, as Hosea 9:16 says, “their roots are withered; they cannot bear fruit.”
Israel had not only sinned, they had cultivated their sinful ways as a farmer cares for his crops; now Hosea calls them to instead “sow righteousness for yourselves and reap faithful love; break up your unplowed ground” (10:12). To sow takes purposeful effort, but the imperative is clear: “It is time to seek the LORD” (v.12). The psalmist echoes this humble posture of the heart, saying, “Consider my affliction and trouble, and forgive all my sins” (Psalm 25:18). Doing so will allow the merciful, redemptive rain of His righteousness to fall on us. And, like a garden in desperate need of sustenance, we will live.
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Lord rain righteousness on us and turn our hearts to seek you. Amen.
❤️ Good morning sisters! Turning to the Lord for all things today. He is our provider and our protection. I am asking for prayer for my son in law. My daughter took him to the emergency room last night. He had suddenly become confused and was not making sense with what he was saying. It has been a rough summer for them. My daughter had surgery in May and before she could recover her her husband, David had to be hospitalized and eventually had open heart surgery. He was recovering nicely hoping to be able to return to work soon when suddenly he becomes so confused. They have ruled out the usual deficiencies as a cause of the confusion and the last I heard last night they were keeping him overnight and running additional test today. Please lift them up in prayer. Stacy and David. This has all been so exhausting and has caused them financial stress. My daughter is so afraid of what is happening. She is a strong Christian woman and it is so sad that they can’t seem to get a break. Please pray for God to shower them with mercy and to provide relief from these constant battles soon. I love you sisters and I am praying for you too. ❤️
These two phrases really struck me this morning from Hosea 9: “you have eaten the fruit of lies” and…”you have trusted in your own way…” because we are dealing with the continued rebellion of our young adult daughter, who has chosen to follow her own way, and has completely cut off her family and now our friend, who is doing the same thing despite all of her family and us, her friends, telling her that the path she is choosing is destructive, not only to herself but also to her daughters. Eating the fruit of lies that the World feeds us is dangerous. We cannot be deceived. Because that is exactly what Satan is doing. And Jesus followers and non-Jesus followers are falling for the lies. We need to stay close to the Truth. I want my heart to always pursue Truth – God’s Truth. Because when we veer from that Truth, the result is complete destruction.
Always time to seek the Lord. Thankful for this study each morning. ❤️
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16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am alone and afflicted.
17 The distresses of my heart increase;,
bring me out of my sufferings.
18 Consider my affliction and trouble,
and forgive all my sins. This is my cry this am more like an SOS. God help me and heal me. I continue to search my heart for unconfessed sin in my life. My FIL is still in the hospital since his transplant his BP has not been stable and it goes very low. It’s been 12 days and he wants to come home. I’m praying for God to touch my family
SRT Sisters, I rarely comment but read everyday and pray with you all. This is such an encouraging place to be every morning. I’m grateful.
I’m asking if you will pray for me today for God’s wisdom and peace and that He will make it abundantly clear what my next step should be. I’m living in an impossible situation and something has to change. I just want to do what God wants me to do. May His voice be the only one I hear.
Thank you Ladies.
Praying for you.