God told the Jewish people through Hosea that they were like the morning dew that evaporates in the midday sun. But later He said he would be like the dew and in the next phrase talks about growing beautiful lilies.
I’ve been teaching in Hosea. Prophets are tough to teach because 90 percent of their topic is “doom and gloom.” Well, it’s really more of an “if you keep doing this, then that bad thing will happen.” Then the prophet proceeds to document the wrong doing.
But if you read the poetry, it’s beautiful. God uses so many great metaphors–even Hosea’s life was a metaphor.
When God is indicting the nations, He uses terms to show how they are not steadfast in relationship with Him. But in the final chapter of Hosea, it’s sort of like a Baptist “altar call” inviting the people into relation. And if they would return to their relationship, He would nourish them like the heavy dew nourishes the flowers.
We know the end of the first part of the message. The people did not listen. Israel was conquered by the Assyrians, Judah later by the Babylonians. And the Jewish people did not have a state again until 1947. But somehow, I don’t think it’s the same. I don’t hear them talking about being God’s light to the world–something that was written about the beginnings of the nation.
Instead we know the end of the second part of the story. Israel did not become God’s light to the world and establishing a right relationship with God through laws didn’t work. So then came Jesus to bring a second covenant. Open explicitly to the entire world. Salvation through grace, not laws.
To live in grace means to be constantly nourished by God. Like the morning dew, I like to begin my mornings getting some nourishment from God. Maybe by reading and contemplating the Bible. Maybe by reading the works of great spiritual writers. Sometimes just meditating in peace with God.
Do you get your morning nourishment? It sets the tone for the day.
Faith Venture 
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