Grace Greater Than Our Failure

By Dean Collins

There are some people who like controversy. Maybe they like the intellectual challenge of conflicting ideas. Some say that it is through controversy that we discover new ideas and truth. There are also people who want to avoid controversy at all costs. They just want things and people to stay calm. Controversy has a way of rocking the boat, so if you like calm you will avoid controversy. 

And while some like or even seek controversy and others avoid or run from it, we all know you can’t make it through life without bumping into controversy or possibly even being wounded by it. And some controversies become so egregious that they must be settled in a courtroom by a judge.

The prophet Hosea spoke the word of the Lord to Israel and said, “The Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.” A controversy with God is bigger and has more consequences than a controversy of opinion about God or about any number of topics and issues. This controversy that Hosea spoke about was serious. It was a legal controversy. Israel had broken their covenant relationship with God. 

Hosea spelled it out as he continued his word from the Lord: “There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds and bloodshed follows bloodshed.”

Israel, like you and I, had plenty of rationales for their behavior, but they couldn’t deny their activities. They knew, and God knew, and the consequences of violating not just a few but all of God’s laws was coming upon them.

Reading through the descriptions of Israel’s unfaithfulness sounds sadly familiar in current culture. While we may want to point to other religions, other nations and governments and suggest this list is true “over there,” if we are honest, we know that even here at home we see all of these problems daily. And worse, we participate in them. And while we want to avoid the consequences of our actions, we all know that consequences, both natural and spiritual, are real and do come.

But as in the grand narrative of God’s story, we find threads of redemption that are woven into God’s plans. Though Israel had faltered and judgment in this case meant the Assyrian captivity, followed by the Babylonian captivity and the destruction of the temple, Hosea called Israel to return to the Lord. These painful and beautiful words follow Hosea’s invitation to return to God:

“For he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.”

Even though we sin God has provided a way for us to be redeemed, restored, and renewed by his grace and mercy. God was and is good for all of his promises. In 1 John 2:2 we read:

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

And in Ephesians Paul said: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” 

Father, we bow in gratitude for your grace and mercy, that in our sin you still made a way for us to be forgiven. Thank you for your amazing grace. We ask that you open our minds and hearts to know the vastness of your love for us. Use us today to show your love to someone in our path. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Hosea 4:1-2, 6:1-6, 10:12-13 ESV

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