Doug Van Pelt

Times

Today I passed a gas station on my way to work. Regular gas was $3.01 per gallon. Yikes. Here in Central Texas we've always had gas prices about as cheap as they come, seeing how we're so close to the oil refineries in the Gulf of Mexico. That proximity isn't keeping the prices so low anymore.

It's hard to fathom the disaster that is the Gulf States region right now. My parents were here this past weekend and part of this week, escaping and evacuating from Hurricane Katrina. On Sunday night as we watched the Hurrican footage on the news, no one knew how bad it'd be. It looked like a category 5 and it might be the biggest storm we've faced in a long. long time. We prayed. By early Monday morning, it looked like it lessened to a Category 4. When it was hitting, judging by the reports we were getting, it looked like it wouldn't be as bad as we'd feared. My dad had pictures of his home later on that day, showing water from the bayou up in his yard, but not as high as the house in NW Florida. Having been through this so many times (especially recently), it was hard not to feel relieved when the storm went inland and broke apart. It looked like the damage wouldn't be that great. And then it got worse. That was a surprise. It might be awhile before we actually know the toll that the storm has taken and continues to take. It's all quite a shock.

Watching the news footage is horrific.

Hosea 6 has a wonderful prayer and admonition:

"'Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces
but He will heal us;
He has injured us
but He will bind up our wounds.
After two days He will revive us;
on the third day He will restore us,
that we may live in His presence.
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.'"

God's people had been like an adulterous woman to Him,
abandoning His ways in selfish living. This book tells of an incredible picture that God paints. He asks Hosea to marry a prostitute, who continues to be unfaithful to Hosea. This is how God's people are repeatedly unfaithful to Him, yet He loves His bride. He stays faithful to her.

The above admonition to return to the Lord is for our restoration and it's a turning away of a lifestyle against God and one towards Him. His ever-welcoming love is amazing and without cynicism.

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at September 2, 2005 10:50 AM