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.” Hosea 6: 1-2
I’m more and more drawn to the idea that God is at work in our lives, and only in those bright moments of clarity can we know it. The one who would lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt had come when the baby Moses was pulled from the water, but no one would know for 80 years. A baby born to an elderly couple came out of the wilderness 30 years later to proclaim the hope of the world. A baby born far from home to an unlikely couple and who would have thought: “Mild He lay His glory by, born that man no more may die..”
God is at work, right now, in your life and in mine. When I read the Hosea passage recently, I thought of my sister, who developed an infection in her shoulder around some hardware put there in a previous surgery. Her shoulder was torn and cut away, that she might heal. Sometimes God needs to re-open a wound on me, something I thought I dealt with, when the anger, the hurt, the resentment comes back. That wound needs to be torn, and broken, so that the underlying infection can be healed and I can begin a new life.
God is at work, bringing the wound, bringing the healing, and often I don’t know it until I look back.
Probably the same for you. What do you think?
The picture is our Winston, seeing a bigger possibility when he hears me walking his big sister just on the other side of the fence.
The Unforced Rhythms of Grace -- Frank Coats 
Well written Frank. Great message!
I don’t think we always know or realize that God is working in our lives. Like you said, in moments of clarity we might realize it. I believe it is true and I’m glad you made the comments about it because I don’t consciously think about it. But, I it’s helpful to think about it, especially when lots of time I’m not in those moments of clarity.
Often I see God’s hand only in looking back.
So glad you shared this. I needed this reminder. Waiting isn’t always easy. But patience is one of the fruits of the spirit. Our Father is at work and all of His promises are a yes. All I am suppose to do is have faith, hope, trust and believe. Ounce again a beautiful message. I thank God for you.
God bless you, Margy. Thank you.
Frank, I am just catching up on your posts. I resonate with your weitings from Hosea. Sometimes I think we try so hard to avoid the wounding message of a punishing God that we wont even consider this passage from Hosea. But this is my experience of how God works and the soul work he puts before us, if we are willing to embrace and face. I call it the perfect storm. Peace!
Thank you, Tammy. At least for me, sometimes it takes quite a jolt to wake up.
Peace to you and Happy New Year!