This is the time of year where people tend to lose hope. Sometimes it’s over simple things losing hope that winter will ever end, but sometimes lack of hope turns to despair. So it begs the question – “Where do we find hope?” Naturally many people who follow Jesus will say “God,” but is there any basis for this?
In the book of Hosea in the bible we have a heartbreaking narrative of the prophet Hosea who married a woman who cheated on him… a lot. And we find this to be a picture of God’s relationship to Israel (us), in that we cheat on God all the time – with our attitudes, behaviour, and character. So what’s this got to do with hope. In Chapter 2 we find these words.
Hosea 2:14–15 (ESV)
14 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.
15 And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.
Even in this hopeless situation – where Hosea’s wife had left him to be with many other men, when Israel was worshipping idols, and when we can tend to stray from God in our hearts and actions God speaks to us as a forgiving tender husband. What intimate words he uses – “I will allure her.” We don’t often think of God this way, but where hope really comes out is in the valley of Achor.
This is a valley known as the place where Achan was cursed, and because of his sin all Israel was affected. So even in a place that has been known in the past as a place of despair, even in a time where there is unfaithfulness and there’s no reason for God to come our way – He plants vineyards in dry valleys and He allures unfaithful people, all in the hope that we will once again hope in him and answer “yes” to Him as a bride to a groom on a wedding day.
So take hope whatever your past, whatever your present, God restores, God plants, God allures – my hope is in what He does in/through/for me because He is God, and not in what I can do. May we all find a “door of hope” in a time of year that tends to lean towards despair.