Finding Hosea in the Modern World

I learned a new word today. The word is “foist” which means to impose an unwelcome or unnecessary thing on to people. I discovered this word by accident. I was studying a blog by Christian writer Dylan Dodson. Dylan’s blog is a good example that I could tie to my bible study of the book of Hosea. Dylan did not use the word; but, when you start googling - You can just go all over the place. 

There is no fidelity, no loyalty, no knowledge of God in the land. (Hosea 4:1 (b)).

Hosea was written between 755 and 725 BC. That was a long time ago. Funny a whole lot of things don’t change. In his blog, Dylan Dodson writes about one of the same things Hosea writes about. Dylan makes the point that people can call themselves Christians but actually do not believe when they don’t agree with God’s commandments or Church teachings. This is similar to Hosea's prophesy.

If you believe in God, then there is a core reason for that belief.  Sometimes it is hard to say why you believe, you just know you believe. With all the ramifications, do and don'ts believing asks of Christians, people tend to pick and choose.  All that God asks is sometimes hard to accept in the world we live in. Even the people of Israel who could remember God working in their prophets, kings, and nation often fell short of what was asked by following false teachings that fed their human wants.  We also fall into the habits of worshiping our personal wants.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command? (Luke 6:46).

Dylan Dodson and the Prophet Hosea talk about sexuality. But these are not the only things that Christ is asking of us. 

Jesus gave the apostles authority to build his Church and continue his ministry. Yet today, Christians forget this command, shun the Church, and pick what they want to believe. There is a disconnection between identifying oneself as a Christian and living a Christian lifestyle. Jesus asks us to follow him in all the details of our lives. If we believe that Jesus is God and God is truly our Father Creator, then we must also believe in what he is the Lord over.  

That same website where I discovered the word “foist” stated “religion focuses the people's attention and energy on a single, unchanging, uncompromising and invisible supreme being who created an inferior humanity.” This supreme being established oppressive and arbitrary rules to live by. These statements were written by an atheist.  

Isn't this great that this is not our God? Sadly, this is how many Christians understand God. But, we are not asked to be perfect, only to try to live in his commands. Disappointingly, many people just say they will do what they want to do if they do agree with Jesus' or the Church’s teachings. In doing this we are actually worshiping a god that we make.

Just remember God always believes in humanity. God is always revealing truth to us. Even if we see God as the god we selfishly want, the Truth of God is always calling to us. 

God is love and forgiveness.  Pope Francis wrote about forgiveness, “. . . God’s mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and contrite heart.” So even if we sin and get off track through our own selfishness, we can recognize our faults and truly ask for forgiveness. God was there with Hosea and the sinful people of Israel almost 2800 years ago. God is there for us, today.

Prayer:

Lord God our Father,

Give us the strength 

to live the life you call us to live.

  

Help us to put our human temptations behind us

so we can live in your glory. 

Most gracious God, 

show us our faults and forgive us when we fail. 

In Jesus name, Amen