Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. Hosea 6: 1-3 ESV

One of our former pastors, the wise and incredible Dr. Rudy Rasmus of St. John’s Downtown, Houston, said we were all recovering from something. This week I’ve been wrestling with something, and found some help in the most unlikely place, the book of Hosea. For those of you who have not read this Old Testament book, I recommend it.

I’m struck by this line that the LORD has torn us, that he may heal us. That he has struck us down, and that he will bind us up, that we will be revived after two days, and will be raised up on the third. Of course we think of Jesus’ resurrection, but something about the living word of God makes this applicable for me, too. I’m still recovering from something.

I’m still recovering from seeking other people’s approval before I move forward. This week I’ve been praying and thinking about what to write next, what direction I want to take my writing, and I realize I’m waiting for someone to tell me, or give me ideas, or some other way of avoiding stepping into the place God has given me to dwell.

This is idolatry, the seeking favor of others you may have put in the place where God should be…

Hosea was writing to specific people at a specific time for a specific purpose, but I read this in November of 2021 and it showed me something new. Maybe God tears away to expose an old hurt that didn’t heal, like a scab over an infection that never cleared up and will prove deadly if not cleansed.

Whatever I write and whenever I write, I want to write because I believe God is calling me to it, not to seek someone else’s approval.