God's Arms

Open Wide For Me (Hosea 14:1-7,) "Return,Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sinsh have been your downfall! Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: “Forgivej all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. Who is wise?h Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walkk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. (Hosea 14:1-2,9) As we look into the Book of Hosea, He begins with a bitter taste in his mouth, as he lays out Israels unfathfulness to their God. They show thisunfaithfulness by the way they are living their lives. Beginning with his own wife,living a promiscuous live style, this showing what God did for you and for me, who were lost in our lifestyle of sin.(1:2) Read (Hosea 3:1-5). Yes, Israel was facing severe judgment from God for the lives they were living. The book of Hosea ends up bringing hope and an appeal for God. He says “Take words with you and return to the Lord” (14:2). Saying if the people will only confess their sins God will forgive. He says,Ask God to ‘Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips’ ” (v. 2). If only we will as forforgiveness God will forgive. This asking for forgiveness is a more exceptable sacrifice than the empty promises and things they had been performing (6:6). As we follow the commands of God, From (Matthew 28:18-20), We ill have opportunity to share what God has done for us.. And in so doing we are bringing them hope,and we invite them to also accept the love of God and ask for forgiveness for their sins to reciece the grace of God and the loving forgiving of a loving and caring heavenly Father. All God asks is that He would take our life as we lay it down before Him, at the foot of the cross at Jesus feet Oh, dear Jesus, I lay it down at the cross where I have found aceptance and love, I lay down my life, I lay down my sin, I lay down my all. All that I have I am giving to you, O place myself under your control. Lord Jesus come, anoint me with oil, and purofy my soul, take my hands, take my feet, make me clean through and through, help me as I walk in your foot prints and serve you. Take my hands and make them clean.. Father God, keep my heart in tune with yours an you make me pure from with in. I want tovwalk in step with you and take in the future you have for me. I'm coming Lord because I see you standing there with your arms open wide, beconing for me to come. Jesus you tell me you are there always with arms open wide, Jesus I am Yours and You are mine. I want to walk in the warmth of your light every moment you give to me breath. All the days of my life. My prayer is that every breath you loan to me, would always be in returning it to you. Yes, Lord, Yes Lord, my whole life is Yours, I lay it down at the cross. Lord Jesus, for me to love is Christ and to die is gain. Today I ask that you have your way with my soul. A few verses that help me understand the life I have in you, lets lok at (1 Corinthians 16:23) It simply puts it like this, "May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." In other words Jesus has his arms wide open waiting for us to come and fill them as He wraps them around us. Then we have the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) I have always loved this story, I have had the priviledge of playing the part of the Father in a play and now in real life am I prepared to do the same? As we see the Father in the story, being a visual point for us, that God has open arms, and He is simply waiting for us to come home. Thne the story shows us what happens when we do. For as the son returns home, his father sees him from a distance, is filled with compassion, and runs to wrap him in his arms and welcome him back. (Psalm 5:11) reminds us we can find safety in God, it says this "But you'll welcome us with open arms when we run for cover to you". And again in (Deuteronomy 33:27) Says "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms". What a picture, God's strong, everlasting arms, under us and holding up, helping us put our feet on solid ground, lifting us up from the mire and sinking sand. We must learn to build our house on the rock. So when the rains decend it will not wash us away. (Matthew 7:24-27) Lets pray- Father God, I thank you, that you are a safe place for me to fall.. I can fall, and know that your out streched loving arms are there to catch me. Thank you, it is in Jesus name I pray AMEN.