By Tom Wiles | For The Times-Post

Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. — Hosea 6:1-11

After a careful explanation of my infraction, my dad would put me over his knee and administer a firm swat with the paddle.

It did hurt even with multiple pairs of shorts on under my pants.

I truly tried to avoid putting my dad in that position as it wasn’t any fun for either of us.

He made sure, however, that after the swat he would console me and reaffirm his love for me, which looking back consoled him too.

Hosea plead with his people, “Let us return to the Lord.”

His heart to restore is just as certain as his discipline.

Idol worship, breaking their covenant with God as well as meaningless sacrifices had put them under God’s just punishment.

Hosea continued, “God will restore us. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn.”

Hosea reassures them they can once again live in the wonder and warmth of a close relationship with him. Just return.

Jesus came to extend that same invitation to us, “Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”

It’s not God’s heart for us to live under the weight of a self-directed life.

As one author wrote, “We were made by him and for him. Until we embrace that truth, life just won’t make much sense.”

God wants us to know him, to do life now and later with him.

Whatever we’re allowing in our lives to distract us from that relationship simply isn’t worth it.

Promises

I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. — Psalm 138:1-8

Upon returning home, my wife looked around to witness my failure to do what I said I would do.

The perceived significance of the task was not the point. I had said that I would take care of it and I didn’t.

The disappointing look that had settled in was all I needed to see to know that a promise broken was a promise broken.

I quickly went to work, but it was clear the emotional bank account had suffered a withdrawal.

One of the many wonders about God, as David reflected on them in this Psalm, was and is his string of unbroken promises.

He has done, does and will do exactly as he has promised. Always. Forever. Without fail.

God keeps his promises.

To fail to keep his promises would truly discredit his claim to be God.

The honor of his name backs them up.

This leads David to celebrate the promises of God’s grace for the humble, his faithful love and his sure plans.

Promise breaking has become a full-contact sport these days.

The line of disappointed and hurting people suffering under the weight of broken promises is endless.

It should trouble us deeply if any of those in that line are there because of us.

On the other hand, if we are in that line, forgiveness is the only path forward.

David leads by example by making calling out to God his life’s pattern.

In God’s presence, we find the strength to be true and the will to forgive.

Tom Wiles is senior minister of Fall Creek Christian Church in Pendleton. He can be reached at 765-778-3166.