Devotional:Return to the Lord: Hosea 6:1-3

We are less than a month before a new president of the United States is elected. Democratic candidate Joe Biden says that he is running for president because he wants to restore “the soul of the nation.” Many Americans believe that America will return to her values when President Donald J. Trump is out of the White House. I do not believe that America’s problems will be resolved when Donald Trump leaves office. Why do I believe what I believe?

There are no new problems in America. The issues of racial equality, discrimination, violence against Black people by police have been around in this country long before Donald Trump came to the White House. Indeed, most of these issues were before the American people when the founding fathers constructed and wrote the constitution. The truth is that America has never believed in racial equality. America has always allowed for slave masters to abuse their slaves. Donald Trump is simply an image of what America really is. America is really no different than Israel was in the 8th century B.C., and the biblical account found in the book of Hosea bears this out.

Hosea is one of the twelve Minor Prophets in the bible. Hosea, like other prophets, receives a word from the Lord. The Lord has a complaint against Israel. They are guilty of being unfaithful to God, and they are worshiping other gods which leads to all sorts of immoral behaviors. “Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of God in the land” (Hosea 4:1, NASB).

Who does God hold accountable for Israel’s transgression? Is it the politicians? Is it the religious leaders? Yes, both are held accountable for leading the people into idolatry. “Hear this, O priests! Listen, O house of the king” (5:1)! Is there a solution for our national problems? The answer is in the response of the people. Surprisingly, the answer is not in the election of a president. Hosea writes these words of an appropriate response. “Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us” (Hos. 6:1, NASB).

In every election people are looking for a change. A change can be had. A plan is in place to bring about prosperity for all the American people. A change comes when the people return to the God that formed this nation. Each individual can experience a change in their life when he/she returns to the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, we need a change in America. Let this change begin in me, Amen.