come, let us return

i know i must surely have shared this verse in the past, but i can't seem to find it in my old posts. but really, you can read the Bible a million times over and find new amazing truths in it every time you read it.

one of my favorite verses comes from the book of Hosea. if you are not familiar with the Bible, Hosea is a book in the old testament and he was a prophet. the coolest thing about this book is that it is a reflection of God's absolutely insane love for us, his sinful people. God commands Hosea to take a wife who is a prostitute and to deal with it. we are like the crazy dirty prostitutes that are married to a sinless beautiful spouse who loves us unconditionally, and who eventually lays his life down for us and redeems us of our pasts. Hosea. if you haven't read it before, bust it open, and enjoy.

so i was just reading this passage again today, because there are many who are near and dear to my heart who are in the midst of some pain and suffering. and they/we need healing, peace, rest, comfort, Jesus.

"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

spring rain! it finally rained this last weekend in the desert. i know it probably ruined/altered at least 3 weddings that i know were planned for outside on saturday, but the rain, especially here, is so refreshing! where gross patches of dead grass have been laying in our front and backyards- green grass is now starting to grow! it's amazing what a little refreshing rain can do for the earth, and for the spirit.

God is good and He has a plan. Lots of people have Jer 29:11 as their favorite verse in the Bible. it's a good one for sure. Most versions I have heard start out: "I have a plan for you." but i was just reading this verse last week in our High School small group meeting and my version (new king james) says:
"For I know the THOUGHTS that I THINK towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." how lovely is that? that God thinks of us and has good thoguhts towards us!

if you are in a place of hurting or know people who are, i hope these verses have brought you some comfort, cause our God is a God of love and compassion and He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)