Making A Difference

Making A Difference

For in you the fatherless find compassion. Hos 14:3

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1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall! 2 Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. 3 Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say 'Our gods' to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion." 4 "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. Hosea 14:1-4 (NIV)

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There are a few Scriptures that share similar ideas. In this short reading, I tend to
think of Israel as being those people who have Abraham’s faith in God and in His
grace. This passage suggests that my sins are my downfall (that is true!) and that I
should go to God with words to express my desire to be forgiven. Then the writer
goes on to say that I have to stop trusting in the gods of others (here called the
Assyrians) and to realize that I shouldn’t be worshipping my efforts. This does
seem to be the main downfall in today’s world, as followers of Jesus often are more
closely identified with following society’s norms with self-centeredness, rather than
with the values found in Scripture. As I read this far, I come to the conclusion that
before I can know God’s will for my life I should discard a few things, so that
I can focus on my objective — following God’s will for me.

The next line is a treasure. What does God value? What is His will? The writer has
discovered that God is compassionate toward the fatherless. There are Scriptures
which broaden this to include all vulnerable people — children, widows, orphans,
abused, sick, lonely, wounded and despairing. The list might be endless.

Might this be opening a window of understanding as to God’s will for me? Could it
be that as I assist my ailing parents, visit a lonely person in jail or take interest in
the life of a person who needs someone like me, that I am in the middle of
what He is doing and wants done?

Now as I continue to read this chapter, I begin to see God’s response to the
questions and observations of the prophet. God seems to rejoice in the
considerations of His servant Hosea. God says, “I will heal their
waywardness and love them freely.” (Hos 14:4)

When I first read this passage, I was left with the remarkable knowledge that God’s
will involves aspects of life that I tend to overlook because I see them as being
unimportant or beneath my expectations. However, the passage also makes it clear
that there is a personal blessing especially reserved for every person with faith in
God who listens and puts what he or she has learned into action. The apostle

James put it this way: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is
this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from
being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27)

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Heavenly Father, I don’t know what You want! I don’t know how to prepare and I
don’t know what You want me to do with my life. I spend my time with just getting
on with things and find that I seldom sense my spirit being lifted to the level that I
hear others speak about. It seems that there must be something special that I could
do just for You. I want to honour and thank You for all that You have done for me.
I really want to be in the middle of what you are doing. Amen.

- Noel Churchman

Noel was the Executive Director of Christian Horizons form 1976 to 2001. The devotionals we will be using are from a book he wrote in 2005 called “Walking with God”. Noel’s reflections are grounded in his experiences as an educator, and provider of supports for individuals with exceptional needs as well as his life as a dedicated follower of Christ.