Comeback

I’m a bit of a mediocre sports fan. I enjoy watching a good football game. I enjoy “America’s past time” – baseball! My favorite is college basketball. I grew up watching and listening to Kentucky basketball. Oh, and I love a good NASCAR race.  I really like sports when my team is winning. I also love a good comeback story. There is often a story around the comeback – someone stepped up their game or deeply inspired everyone to press in and take their game to a new level and a comeback story is written.

Hosea was a prophet who was warning Israel and Judah that punishment was looming because of their decadent behavior. They had deserted God. Hosea takes a minute to remind them of Jacob (their ancestor) of his earlier relationship with God. Check this out…

⁴ Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won.
    He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him.
There at Bethel he met God face to face,
    and God spoke to him—
⁵ the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,
    the Lord is his name!
⁶ So now, come back to your God.
Act with love and justice,
and always depend on him. (Hosea 12:4-6 NLT)

There are some spiritual comebacks in my journey with the Lord. I’m embarrassed by my sins and actions that necessitated a comeback.  If my life is meant to glorify the Lord, then I have failed miserably many times for sure. I don’t want to get into all the dark details, but the Lord knows. I’m blown away with His grace and His patience. He welcomes my comeback EVERY time!

As I reflect on this passage a bit more, there is action I can take to complete the comeback story. I need to act with love and justice toward others and ALWAYS depend on the Lord. My comeback is complete when I bow before Him in confession and repentance. His Grace is over the top and I’m profoundly thankful.

Pressing On!

Dwayne