(1) Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. (2) After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.            – Hosea 6:1-2

–> “Come, let us return…” There is sure to come a time in the life of every born again believer when we will have to go back and re-establish the process of grace and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ wherewith we were first set free from the sin nature. If He has torn us, it is because He loves us and has allowed – at no small cost to His heart – the ravages of sin to run their course that the lamp of faith hung up in our hearts might not be thrust out forever.  No matter how far we have strayed, it is never too late to return to Calvary’s hillside, looking again upon that blood-stained tree, and reckoning ourselves dead indeed unto sin, co-crucified, buried, and resurrected with Christ. The darkness of your Friday may be threatening a tale of heartache and hopelessness, but don’t give up . . . your victory has already been secured and your glad Sunday is a mere two days away.

Having turned back to Him in faith, let us be vigilant that none of the pursuits of this life stand equal to the pursuit of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. In just a little while, He will come and establish His Kingdom, ruling and reigning in perfect peace, justice, and righteousness – but before that glad and fateful day let us see to it that He has established His rule and reign in the Kingdoms of our hearts and that His dominion of light is rooting out every enemy of darkness.

And as the gaze of our heart is fixed squarely in Christ and Him crucified, may there ever be a continual flow of the oil of His Spirit upon the embers of our faith that the lamps of our lives might be beacons in the night for other wayward souls traversing this pilgrim way.

In the dust of His feet,

Sunni Hoffman