December 7

Hosea 6:1-9:17, 3 John 1:1-14, Psalm 126:1-6, Proverbs 29:12-14 

Pray: Healing is something many people need at some point in their lives. We need physical healing, emotional healing, and certainly spiritual healing. What we find, though, is that there IS a hindrance to healing: sin. “I want to heal Israel, but its sins are too great.” James 5:16 tells us the same thing, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” What do you need to confess so that the Lord can bring healing to your life?

Read: Can you sense God’s heart in today’s reading? “I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” God desperately wants a relationship with you. Other things are important, but nothing is more important to the Lord than His relationship with you. How well do you know the Lord? Have you fully trusted in Him? Maybe today is the day…

Edify: We tend to find one example that suits us and justifies our actions/thoughts/beliefs. If we can identify and name a person or group that aligns with what we believe, we consider ourselves right. John tells us, “Dear friends, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good.” Though we may find an example to reinforce what we want, that’s really not the litmus test for our thoughts/actions/beliefs. Do you have things in your life that you’ve justified because someone else does it or says it’s okay? Does it align with Scripture?

Practice: How we treat the poor and those less fortunate than us (both in this country and around creation), has eternal significance. You cannot read Scripture and ignore the reality that God has a heart for the poor and God’s people are to care for the poor. There’s much debate on how one does that, regardless, it’s a mandate from the Lord. Proverbs 29:14 tells us “If a king judges the poor fairly, his throne will last forever.” God rewards those who have the ability to help the poor and treat them fairly.