Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 10:12

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 10:12
"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you."

Before reading in the Old Testament I was reading in the Book of Mormon, where Jesus Christ appears to the Nephites after his resurrection. He gives to them what was taught on the Sermon on the Mount. The part on mercy stood out to me, as it does now in reading Hosea. How grateful I am for mercy.

"And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
(3 Nephi 12:7)

“Mercy is not showered [indiscriminately] upon mankind, except in the general sense that it is manifest in the creation and peopling of the earth and in the granting of immortality to all men as a free gift. Rather, mercy is granted (because of the grace, love, and condescension of God), as it is with all blessings, to those who comply with the law upon which its receipt is predicated. That law is the law of righteousness; those who sow righteousness, reap mercy. There is no promise of mercy to the wicked; rather, as stated in the Ten Commandments, the Lord promises to show mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 484.)
(Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi, "The Ministry of Hosea: A Call to Faithfulness (Hosea)", (10-31)

"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."
(Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21)

"And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;"
(Daniel 9:4)

"Behold, I, the Lord, am merciful and will bless them, and they shall enter into the joy of these things. Even so. Amen."
(Doctrine and Covenants 70:18)

Day 4034

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 7:8

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 7:8
"Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned."

The descriptions in these chapters don't always show the best quality in the tribes. Ephraim being mixed among the people is speaking of them acquiring the cultures and worshipping of their idols around them. That is part of why they become scattered. But, what does a cake not turned mean? At first I pictured a birthday cake being baked in the oven. Then I realized you don't turn those. Then I thought of a pancake that you flip when it's half done. So, is Ephraim half-baked? What does that phrase really mean?

"Half-baked" describes ideas, plans, or schemes that are poorly developed, impractical, or not carefully thought out. It implies a lack of maturity, research, or foresight, often deemed foolish or unrealistic. Literally, it refers to food that is underdone. "

A poorly done, half-baked item would be burnt at the bottom and raw at the top. Not really useful until you get the timing right. Ephraim's timing is off, and that's because its mixed its identity all up. It must understand it's true identity before it can complete its mission.

Day 4033

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 5:15

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 5:15
"I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early."

When we forget the Lord he doesn't really leave us. He's waiting for us to repent and come to Him. He knows us very well. In our afflictions we will seek Him early. I remember when I used to do that. I would get really serious about repenting, and doing what I should be doing, when I needed Him. One day I remember being just sick of that cycle. I decided to seek the Lord even though I wasn't in a crises. It was the best decision I every made. Oh, the first thing I do in a trial or crises is reach out to the Lord, but that's more of our relationship now and not the "come to Jesus" moment. The solutions and answers are much clearer and peaceful, and not the anguish it used to be.

Day 4032

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 1:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 1:2
"The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD."

I did wonder why a prophet would be told to take a sinful wife? As I read more I realized it's talking about the relationship between the children of Israel and the Lord. They have committed great whoredoms. The church is often referred to in the feminine. Hosea is being called as a prophet to lead them. In between that he does marry and have children.

Day 4031