Hosea 10 - It's Time to Seek the Lord

by Katrina

LINK: Hosea 10

BACKGROUND
Chapter ten gives a description of Israel's pride in self. They claim to be wealthy in and of themselves. They have no need for God, and trust in themselves instead. The richer they become, the more they turn away from God and worship idols. But God is going to chastise them. He will demonstrate his power to them. He is going to show them who he is, and they will be destroyed.

REFLECTION/APPLICATION
Verse 12 says, "Sow with a view to righteousness. Reap in accordance with kindness. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you."

Fallow ground is land that has not been recently cultivated. This land is hard and full of weeds. Our hearts can get hard and full of weeds (sin) if we don't keep cultivating (plowing) the soil of our hearts. We cultivate the soil of our hearts by being repentant and seeking after God.

Once soil is broken up by the plow, seeds can be planted. Likewise, once our hearts are softened through repentance, the seed of God's word can be planted and grow in our hearts.

The cultivated ground can soak up the rains, while the rains run off the hard, fallow ground. Likewise, if our hearts are cultivated by God, then his righteousness soaks in and becomes a part of who we are.

It is good to examine our hearts periodically and look for hardened areas where we keep God out. Do you have any of those areas in your life? Confess them to God and allow him to cultivate his righteousness in your heart. "For it is time to seek the Lord."

PRAYER
Lord, we confess we do not always want to give you full access to our hearts. We are often proud and sinful, and rather than seeking you we try to hide from you. Break up those hard areas of our hearts and cultivate your word in us. Amen.