Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him.
As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.
Hosea 6:3
This past month of April, we have experienced quite a mix of weather here in Canada.
There have been wintry days, warm days, sunshine, and lots of rain. It is April, after all.
There is a saying, “April showers bring May flowers…” Such a positive quote, really.
I often think of “spring rains” as watering the earth as the Bible verse above states, but it is also washing
the earth clean after all that winter grime, muck, crud, sludge and dirt gets cleansed and swept away.
We can understand this as symbolic of the “spiritual washing away” of our sins.
Our LORD Jesus washes believers on the inside each time in the winter of our soul we sin.
Our Redeemer revives our hearts and gives us hope as we trust in Him.
There is light on the path and a purifying grace that brings hope to depths of the souls of those who believe.
The washing of our sin brings comfort, mercy and peace where there once was darkness, conflict and misery.
That is the promise found in God’s Word, but first we must acknowledge the LORD as God of our lives.
We must “press on” to acknowledge God. We make the hope of our salvation our reason to “press on.”
For the Christian, this involves work on our part.
We need to pursue knowing God and make Him the purpose of our lives.
There is a Bible Verse (Jeremiah 29:13) that reminds the believer, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
When we look for God wholeheartedly, when we press in, and search and seek and never give up, we will find God as the richest treasure of our lives.
And if we have strayed from following our LORD, we must turn back, turn back to the one who gives mercy and grace to help us come back.
Turn back to the one who calls us by name, the one who will extend kindness to those who will come back to Him, and humbly ask for a cleansing of the soul from the dark night of sin.
Our LORD washes the earth in the Springtime to make it fruitful again, just as He will wash our sin away to make us fruitful again, if we but ask.
The prophet Hosea called God’s people to repent of their stubborn, sinful ways.
Isreal and Judah persisted in their stubborn refusal to bow the knee to God.
Even when God offered light and hope and mercy, they refused it.
They persisted in living with the dirt, grime, and filth and in the darkness of their souls.
What will we do?
Will we welcome the spring rains?
Will we press in to know the LORD?
Will we seek Him with all of our hearts to know Him and to find the path of light to lead the way?
Let us cling to the God who redeems us and makes us new.
Despite our sins, if we turn to Him, He will renew us, make us clean, and with His passionate love, He will lead us on the path with light to give hope for our souls.
TURN with me to welcome the spring rain, the cleansing, the growing in fruitfulness, the pressing in to know the God of the universe.
That will be the best turn you could ever make.
Are you ready for a change in direction?
Turn to God and ask Him to help you, then press in and never stop.
For almost thirty-eight years, the following Bible Verse has graced the exterior of the Bible I bring to the Women’s
Bible Study groups I go to.
“YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET AND A LIGHT TO MY PATH.” PSALM 119:105
Often I have strayed and turned to the left and back to the right.
But always God has forgiven me for my failings, and wanderings, as I TURNED to HIM for help.
What about you?
Is the Bible, God’s precious Word, alive and active in the soul, your chief delight in life?
Is God your reason for living?
If not, I invite you to “press in” to get to know the GOD of the universe.
He is a majestic, mighty God, but He is also the personal Savior of those who search for Him with all their hearts and find His mercy, grace, kindness, and love.
Won’t you search for Him with all your heart today?
And say along with me, the best is yet to be with our great God, leading the way to redemption and hope.