The people of Israel are not acknowledging God, and whilst they bear some responsibility, God plants the main blame squarely at the door of the religious and political leaders.

Knowing all about God is one thing. Acknowledging who God is, and living as if your life depended on it, is another thing entirely.

RECONCILED - REDEEMED - RESTRICTED-RESTORED...a prophetic picture of God’s constant and unchanging love for the people of Israel...and for each one of us too.

“You knew the way to my heart, I had a good defence but you tore it all apart. You knew, you knew the way to my heart” Julie Miller, singer/songwriter

Sometimes God allows us to do the things we choose and to suffer the consequences - he will not force us to love him and do things his way...

The people of Israel have grown accustomed to hearing words of judgement and rebuke from the prophets. So what Hosea says next comes as a bit of a shock...

One of the exciting things about being a follower of Jesus is that we are called to work alongside God as he carries out his plans for the world. But, maybe sometimes the things God asks us to do are difficult and costly.

Sometimes our theology is so brittle that when God works in ways we don’t expect or understand it begins to crack and shatter.

Sometimes it seems that our “enemies”, the people we struggle with, are more open to God’s Grace than we are.

A look at chapter 2 of the book of Jonah, where we take a positive look at the dark times in our lives and the ways we try to avoid confronting the darkness.