Hosea Finished & Joel Coming up Next!

Last week we finished the book of Hosea here at CC Herborn.Something that really stood out to me while going through the book of Hosea is how alive the Word of God is! Each week as I would study and prepare I would see how relevant the message is; how this same message is needed for today!
Hosea was called to be a prophet in a very difficult time. He was called to deliver a very difficult message. He was called to live out this message through obedience and marry Gomer. You see, he wasn't only called to proclaim the message, but to also experience, first hand, why the message was being proclaimed.
Israel was in complete rebellion towards God and had gone after many "lovers," (i.e. false gods). Hosea experienced this when his wife, Gomer, went after other "lovers" as well and was even impregnated by them. And yet the Lord would call Hosea to go back once again to his wife and love her once again.
As we read and study this book of Hosea, we cannot but think of how often the Lord has come after us time and time again, forgiven us, and loved us freely. How often have we been like Gomer (who is a picture of Israel) and gone after other "lovers" and looked to them to satisfy our needs, and yet, all the while, it was the Lord who was the One who was providing for us all that we ever needed.
Hosea went on to proclaim to the people of Israel to get rid of these foreign idols and to return unto the Lord. You see, Israel was continuing to make "sacrifices unto the Lord" even though they were living in complete disobedience to Him. They were merely going through the motions. And it came to a point where the Lord told His people that He didn't want to "play pretend" any longer. "You pretend to be My people and I will pretend to be your God." He was done with that. He was tired of His people merely going through the motions of a relationship and He called them back to a true relationship. In Hosea 6:6 it is summarized. "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." The Lord desired a TRUE relationship with His people!
You see, the message is the same today! God desires to have a true relationship with you and I. He doesn't want us to merely "say" that we are Christians or for you and I to "go to church" so that we can prove our relationship with God. No, He desires that we would know Him. Know Him intimately. Know Him personally. Know Him experientially.(I don't think that is a word, but I love making up words -haha)
What is it in your life right now that has got to go? What idol in your life has got to be laid on the altar of the cross and forsaken? What is separating you from a true relationship with Jesus? May you allow the Holy Spirit to reveal those things in your life so that you can confess them and forsake them and get back into a love relationship with Jesus!

SIDE NOTE
I want to let you all know that I will begin to write some devotionals from my teachings in the book of Hosea on my ministry web page. You can begin to check out these devotionals that will be in English and German here.

THE BOOK OF JOEL IS NEXT! START PRAYING!