Day 1621

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, August 24.

 

Patience is an expression of hope. Waiting upon the Lord requires faith, but trust has always been difficult for humanity. To illustrate this point in Hosea 12:2-6, the prophet referenced the thousand-year-old story of Jacob:

 

The LORD also has a dispute with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; He will repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his maturity he contended with God. Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and sought His favor. He found Him at Bethel and there He spoke with us, even the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is His name. Therefore, return to your God, observe kindness and justice, and wait for your God continually.

 

The prophet’s exhortation to his people, “wait for your God continually,” was grounded in the formation of Israel, through Jacob. Hosea briefly highlighted some of the historical events in verses 2-5, but the full story is found in Genesis 25-50, with the prophet specifically alluding to Genesis 25:26; 28:10-22; 32:24-30; and 35:10-15. It was through Jacob’s journey with God that his character was changed from being a schemer and deceiver to being a person of faith whom God could use for His purposes. Hosea was calling upon Israel to remember their story, and to be transformed by waiting upon the Lord through their time of judgment. God did not abandon Jacob in his time of need, and He was not finished with Israel in Hosea’s generation. In the same way, God is not done with you! He desires to transform you through the renewal of your mind, but this requires patience during the unfolding of your story.

 

Seize the moment and wait for your God continually – “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:31).