THE LORD SPOKE (December 12)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Hosea 12-14

Like the flourish at the end of a symphony, Hosea’s prophecy rises in a great crescendo of spiritual metaphors. Much like Beethoven, Hosea employed triads - groups of three variations on a theme that then synthesize and build to the next theme. Consider, for example:

Hos. 13:3 - like mist, like dew, like chaff...like smoke
Hos. 13:7-8 - like a lion, like a leopard, like a bear...like a lion
Hos. 14:5-6 - like dew, like a lily, like a cedar...like an olive tree
Hos. 14:7-8 - like grain, like a vine, like wine...like a green pine tree

The last movement of Hosea’s symphony restates the theme which he has been emphasizing ever since the Conductor called for the first note:

You must return to your God;
maintain love and justice,
and wait for your God always. (Hos. 12:6)

The parallel counter-theme of Israel’s pride is also repeated in the closing strains of music. Her fruitfulness comes from God (Hos. 14:8) but her sins have been her continual downfall (Hos. 14:1).

When I fed them, they were satisfied;
when they were satisfied, they became proud;
then they forgot me. (Hos. 13:6)

Like the finale when every instrument is employed and every part is driving toward the conclusion, Hosea brings it all to bear on his theme one last time with magnificent force.

Who is wise? He will realize these things.
Who is discerning? He will understand them.

The ways of the Lord are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them. (Hos. 14:9)

Isn’t it time for us to make a little melody in our hearts for the Lord (Eph. 5:19)? Doesn’t He have every right to expect some harmonic praise from us? Could we not produce some pleasing music that would rejoice His spirit? So be it!


Proverbs 12

A measured response. That’s the MO of a prudent man. He doesn’t fly off the handle, go off half-cocked, or blow up in your face. Instead, he counts to ten, takes a deep breath, or cools his heals.

A fool shows his annoyance at once
But a prudent man overlooks an insult. (Prov. 12:16)

It boils down to a question of control - self-control. That’s how Solomon expresses it later in the book:

A fool gives full vent to his anger,
But a wise man keeps himself under control. (Prov. 29:11)

It is wise counsel to slow down and think before you speak. Counting to ten before giving a hasty reply may seem like a gimmick of sorts but it has the advantage of being quite effective. Those few moments allow you to think and adjust your verbal response if not your mental attitude. It is, in fact, the first step to self-control. If it results only in pent-up feelings, it won’t help anything. Merely putting a cork in it will only increase the pressure and lead to a worse explosion. But pausing to reflect and to adjust your attitude will soon begin to have the desired effect - greater self-control.

It also works well in our relationship to God. Rather than blaming Him, or expressing our disappointment in the way He’s running His world, or in some other way reacting thoughtlessly, just pause a little and reflect. He has the distinct advantage over us of knowing every thought. That’s why we pray...

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. (Ps. 139:23)

But that thought process is itself the path of resolution for as He shows us our wrong-thinking we may ask Him to correct it. The result is that our heart is changed. Our attitudes are corrected and it’s increasingly less likely that our mouth will spew out vileness.

Or, as Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” (Lk. 6:45)