Return… to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. – Hosea 14:1
Finishing well is not easy. Watching the Olympics was a reminder that you can dedicate your life and train, focus and prepare with your whole heart, yet trip up at the last minute with devastating results. Heart-breaking to watch, yet a common story.
In the Bible, the characters are recorded as the actual people they were. Many found faith and fellowship with God, but like the Olympians, came undone by unexpected circumstances. For example, Numbers 20 records the stumble of one of God’s greatest men. The Israelite nation was wandering in a desert wilderness seeking their homeland. They were miserable and thirsty. Moses took their complaints before God and asked what to do. God answered, “Tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them” (Numbers 20:8). Frustrated with the grumbling mob, Moses acted in anger. Instead of speaking to the rock as God directed, he hit it with his staff – twice! God was gracious and still brought water for the people BUT Moses would receive a consequence for disobeying God’s instructions. He would not be the one to complete the journey that led the people into their new land.
Olympians may not get another opportunity to have their winning moment but in God’s economy failure is not final. While He does not exempt people from the consequences of their choices, He never rejects the honest cry for forgiveness. Pray today that America’s people will return to the Lord, seeking Him once again to guide the nation by submitting to His will and His ways. Ask that America will have another chance to finish well.
Today’s Verse: Hosea 14:1
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Psalm 103:10-14
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
