Hosea 2:8

Israel’s failure to know the lord and His provision is the key idea in this book Hosea Israel was a wealthy nation at that time. Israel didnot recognize God as the giver of all blessings just as Gomer did not realise that Hosea gave all she owned and loved her. Gomer ran after other lovers just as Israel went after Bael and other Gods. This injustice was done to our faithful God.

Every good gift is from God our health is God’s gift. Our money we have is from God The intelligence we have is God’s gift. So we should use our resources to honor Him.

Cynthia Sathiaraj
Chennai

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Hosea 6:6: “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, /And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

Hosea was one of many prophets that warned the nation of Israel against unfaithfulness to the God of their fathers.
He spoke against religious activity that was not sincere worship of God.

Through Hosea, God reminded the people that renewal of the heart was more important than merely following religious rituals.

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice,”

*The words, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” sound familiar to many because Jesus quoted them to the Pharisees 600 years later in Matthew 9:13.

“For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Jesus answered this to a question when Pharisees asked.
Even though they were teachers, they had never learned the deeper meaning of this passage about the love of God.

Jesus was telling them that Broken hearts were far more pleasing to God than any amount of outward religious traditions and ceremonies.

God desires mercy (love) much more than sacrifice.
So why would God prefer loyalty and faithfulness over our “so called activities”?

God wants our hearts. He is jealous for our affection.
We may think that God is more interested in our activity for Him than He is in the condition of our hearts.

No matter how much we do in God’s service, regardless how active we are in our church, no matter how honorable our reputation in the Christian community, He will not overlook a sinful heart.

His desire is that we devote ourselves to knowing Him and loving Him with all our heart.
Dear friends… …. Don’t forget that the greatest accomplishments come when we are on our knees.

Jooley Mathew Z
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