Chapter 13 concluded with chilling words. God had been incredibly patient with Israel. He had sent prophet after prophet to warn them about their persistent unfaithfulness, but time had run out, and He had to act. And so in 722 BC, the Assyrians swept in and destroyed Samaria, the capital, along with the rest of the kingdom.

Is God finished with Israel? Chapter 14 provides the answer. Judgement has fallen, and now, as the dust settles, God sends Hosea with a message. Look at verse 1: ″Return, Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!″

Notice how Hosea calls God ″your God″. It's an astonishing invitation! Despite everything, God will still have Israel back. In fact, He is waiting for them to return. They will have to come not with empty sacrifices (as they had done in the temple for so many years), but with serious words of apology (Hosea 14:2), genuine repentance (v. 3), and with a determination to walk away from their past (″We will never again″) and from thinking they can save themselves (″what our own hands have made″).

And what will they find when they return to Him? A Father of compassion (v. 3) who longs to take care of those in need. I don't know about you, but I find that utterly astonishing. The words at the end of chapter 13 might have sent a shiver down our spine-and they ought to have, for rebellion against God is utterly serious and God won't ignore it. But chapter 14 contains the words God far prefers to say; this is where His heart lies. Even after passing judgement, He longs for His people to come back to Him. Like the father looking, waiting, and aching for his son's homecoming, so God yearns for us to return.

It says something about human pride and stubbornness that it took a national disaster to bring the people of Israel to the point where they would sincerely pray like this, doesn't it? How much tragedy might God have to allow into your life before you're willing to approach Him with similar words of humility, honesty, and genuine sorrow?

Gracious Father, thank you that in spite of all my sin, you long for me to be with you. Help me to remember that. For Jesus' sake, amen.