Hosea 6:1 “’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.’”

BOO-BOOS

I remember the days when I loved to get a band-aid put on a scratch or “boo-boo.” It was kind of like a badge of honor to have one on your knee or elbow. It implied hard play or courage. It was really cool if you had one of those band-aids that had a cartoon figure on it. That rocked!

I love this verse because it tells us that God will heal us and bandage us. But I notice that it also says he will tear us and wound us. Why would a loving God tear and wound us and then turn right around and heal and bandage us? I truly believe the tearing and wounding is our fault. God will go as far as He needs in our discipline to turn us around. If that means He has to tear or wound us, so be it. But remember, when He heals and bandages, He does it perfectly.

TEACHING MOMENT

What a perfect verse to share with our kids the next time they get a “boo-boo.” That probably will not be long, lol. As you wash the wound or scrap and prepare it for bandaging, share this verse with them. Sometimes that cut or scrap they have is from their direct disobedience. You told them NOT to climb that tree, but they just had to. You told them NOT to jump off the back porch, but they wanted to “fly.”

You wouldn’t withhold bandaging that wound just because they disobeyed you. You wouldn’t NOT stop the bleeding just because “you told them so.” Nether does God. He tells us how to live to avoid these “accidents”, but we just can’t help ourselves. We just have to “climb that tree” or “jump off that porch.”

God loves us, but He will hold us accountable for our actions. He will also do whatever it takes to get us back on course. He disciplines His children. Aren’t you glad?