The Life You Were Meant To Live | Hosea 14:7

Welcome to The Daily.

We are 3 days away from beginning our next book of the Bible. We are moving to the New Testament, 1 Peter. We are going to discover how to live holy in a hostile world. Go ahead and pick up your 1 Peter Scripture Journal now. And if you are a Project23 donor giving $35 or more per month, this has already been shipped to you. So become a donor and partner with us in Project23.

Our text today is Hosea 14:7

They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow;
    they shall flourish like the grain;
they shall blossom like the vine;
    their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. — Hosea 14:7

Everyone wants a flourishing life. A life of peace. Purpose. Joy. Security. But most people spend their lives chasing those things instead of planting themselves where those things actually grow.

Hosea says:

“They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow.”

Notice where flourishing begins. Not with success. Not with achievement. Not with finally getting everything you want. It begins with returning to God and residing in his shadow.

The image is simple. A person resting beneath God's shadow is protected and sustained and by proximty is close to God. From that place, life begins to grow.

“They shall flourish like the grain.”

“They shall blossom like the vine.”

That's important because flourishing is not something we generate. It's something God generates.

Our culture teaches the opposite. It tells us to build ourselves, promote ourselves, and pursue ourselves. But many people spend years climbing ladders only to discover they leaned them against the wrong wall.

Fullness in life is not found by chasing more. It's found by staying close to God. And that's the promise of this chapter!

After all the wandering, compromise, and failure, God doesn't merely forgive His people.

As we get ready to begin our next book, 1 Peter, we'll discover that believers can flourish even in difficult places, hostile cultures, and seasons of suffering.

Because flourishing isn't determined by what you do. It's determined by who you're walking with. So walk with God, sit under his shadow, and discover the life he has for you.

DO THIS:

Identify one area where you've been chasing flourishing apart from God, and surrender it to Him today.

ASK THIS:

1. Where have I been looking for life apart from God?
2. What does "living beneath His shadow" look like in my daily life?
3. Am I pursuing success more than I am pursuing God?

PRAY THIS:

Father, teach me to stop chasing life in places where it cannot be found. Help me remain close to you and trust that true flourishing comes from walking faithfully with you. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Remain"