Where do You Find Yourself With Other People Today?

​“Then the Lord said to me, “Go again; show love to a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, just as the Lord loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/hos.3.1.HCSB

We must turn back to chapter 1 and see what God commanded Hosea to do.

“When the Lord first spoke to Hosea, He said this to him: Go and marry a promiscuous wife and have children of promiscuity, for the land is committing blatant acts of promiscuity by abandoning the Lord. So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭1:2-3‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/hos.1.3.HCSB

God first told Hosea to find an unfaithful wife. He did and had three kids with her. But in time she left him and found others to be “faithful” with, but now God is commanding Hosea to bring her back home and make her faithful to him once again. I would guess this would take a stern resolve and forgiveness on his part. 

But what would this have to do with us? Most of us are not called to bring back an unfaithful spouse to us, but maybe some are! But rather Homer Hosea’s wife represents the faithlessness of the people back to God. In Hosea 2:3 we talked about “Where do you find yourself with God”. The link to that Quiet Time Thought can be found here: http://bharper504.blogspot.com/2022/05/where-do-you-find-yourself-with-god.html. 

So now I would like to focus on “Where do you find yourself with other people?” 

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:17-19‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/rom.12.18-19.HCSB

First, we are to live at peace with one another. We are not to be looking to harm or seek revenge with anyone. Leave it up to God for He knows what He is doing better than we do. 

“So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:23-24‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/mat.5.24.HCSB

Second, we are to reconcile with those who have not forgiven us. Also included in this is to forgive anyone who has wronged us (see Mark 11:25). In both cases, if we know about it then it will eat at us and hinder our relationship with God. But if we work it out with them then God is freed up to forgive us. 

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/72/mat.5.14.HCSB

Last, for today, we are to be a good example of Jesus to all those around us. People are watching you and me, whether we are following God or not. If we are not then why would they want the God that we are portraying? But then if we are they will see the goodness of God through our Love, Hope, and Joy. (You see I capitalized them because they are given by God. God’s Love is greater than the world’s love. God’s Hope is greater than the world’s hope. God’s Joy is greater than the world’s happiness.) I cannot determine whom I am leading but only who I am following. 

“Follow me as I follow Christ.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭MEV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1171/1co.11.1.MEV

Paul did not know who would be following Him. He just set the example by following Jesus and obeying what Jesus calls all disciples to do. 

“And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭MEV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1171/mat.4.19.MEV

So where do you find yourself with people today? Do they see Jesus working in you? Are you being the best example of Jesus you know to be?

If you are wondering about the raisin cakes check out this article for a bit more information. 

https://www.thegoodbook.com/blog/interestingthoughts/2019/08/27/peculiar-passages-the-strange-case-of-the-forbidde/