Day 212 Hosea 1–3 Psalm 20

Welcome to the book of Hosea: a raw, emotional love story that feels more like a dramatic movie than a prophecy. In Hosea 1, God tells the prophet Hosea to marry a woman named Gomer, who would be unfaithful to him. That sounds painful, but God uses this marriage to show how Israel has been unfaithful to Him. When God uses our pain to teach or reach others, it can feel deeply unfair. Remember it is okay to feel that way. Bring your feelings to God. Do not use them to push Him away. In Hosea 2, God talks about how Israel has chased after false gods and empty things. Sometimes God lets us go through hard times to wake us up. But His goal is always to bring us back. In Hosea 3, this isn’t the start of a new love story, it’s the continuation of Hosea’s painful marriage to Gomer. She had left him. She had become unfaithful again. And now, she’s hit rock bottom. So Hosea buys her back, for 15 pieces of silver and some barley! Even when we are unlovable, He comes after us. In Psalm 20, this psalm is like a blessing given to someone right before they face something big. Imagine you’re about to take a big test, go into surgery, have a tough conversation, or try something scary. Psalm 20 is like a friend putting their hand on your shoulder.