The heartache that God must endure, witnessing His creation engage in mutual destruction across the globe in conflicts like those in Ukraine, between Israel and Hamas, and in Sudan, is unimaginable.
These wars bring with them tremendous pain, suffering, and loss of life.
Retired American General Ben Hodges believes that Ukraine has endured 70,000 deaths. Ukraine sources estimate that Russian casualties in the war number around 300,000.
The devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in a death toll that has soared from the initial horrific casualties on October 7th to now exceeding 10,000 people.
Media coverage of Sudan is sparse, yet the recent conflict there has claimed 10,000 lives. Daily, women and young girls are forced into slavery, and over 5 million people have been displaced from their homes.
Whether in the 8th century B.C. or 2023 A.D., prophets look past the apparent news of the day to share God’s perspective on what is taking place in the world.
When we align our prayers with God’s wisdom, the prophets become invaluable. They guide us in praying effectively for current world events.
Identifying Wrong Behavior
Sin is not a victimless crime; it leads to destruction across various levels of society.
I cannot judge the sin in anyone’s life other than my own. However, God looks into the hearts of all.
There are times when God must put an end to sinful behavior, and he does so through his judgment.
Hosea’s message largely proclaims judgment, yet at times, it reveals God’s blessing after receiving judgment and the subsequent repentance.
Before we turn to today’s Bible passage, please note that I do not have any more insight into world events than anyone else.
However, my current reading of the prophets Hosea and Isaiah suggests to me that there is more to world events than mere conflicts between angry groups.
While I discover what God is up to, I continue to pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6.9-13). It contains God’s will for life and is appropriate for every circumstance.
God’s Plan for a Wayward Nation
I believe the concept of prevenient grace as taught by John Wesley. This is the grace that God extends to us before we become aware of Him. In essence, God reaches out to us before we develop any personal desire to seek Him.
This is how God responds to a wayward people: He summons us to come to Him before we ever consider approaching Him on our own.
Therefore, I will now allure her
and bring her into the wilderness
and speak tenderly to her.
From there I will give her her vineyards
and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she shall respond as in the days of her youth,
as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. (Hosea 2.14-15)
Jesus told the church of Ephesus, “You have abandoned the love you had at first” (Revelation 2.4).
The wilderness that Hosea refers to echoes our initial love for God. God’s grace guides us back to the joy of our early relationship with Him, from which we have somehow started to drift.
Where once there was no hope as in the Valley of Achor, hope for a new future will arise.
A New Relationship
I believe that God grieves when He observes people confused in their relationship with Him, professing His name verbally while their inner devotion belongs to a false god.
Israel invoked the name of Jehovah and observed the festivals and sacrifices customary to God’s people. However, they also mixed their worship with allegiance to Baal.
Such behavior must have wounded God’s heart. Yet, His grace extended to Israel, drawing them back into a relationship with Him where the name of the Baals would no longer be spoken.
On that day, says the Lord, you will call me “my husband,” and no longer will you call me “my Baal.”
For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be mentioned by name no more (Hosea 2.16-17).
Reading passages like these, I wonder whether American materialism, consumerism, nationalism, and pride could be a replacement for Baal.
I am not qualified to judge if this is the case. However, I can present these issues to God in prayer and repent for my participation in them.
Praying God’s Promises
Informed by the prophets, we can incorporate their words into our prayers. The following verses illuminate some powerful aspects of our communication with God.
I will make for you a covenant on that day with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground, and I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety.
And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.
I will take you for my wife in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord (Hosea 2.18-20).
Examining these verses pinpoints three powerful themes for our prayers concerning the world.
(1) First, we seek the end of war and the beginning of peace.
(2) Second, we yearn for a relationship with the Lord as intimate as that between spouses, allowing people to know Him deeply.
(3) Third, we strive to exhibit the Father’s qualities – righteousness, justice, steadfast love, mercy, and faithfulness.
Let’s unite in praying for these themes, as God shapes our world with His love and grace.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 