God's Restoring Ways 医治和修复

[Dexu Xia]

God's Restoring Ways

People will dwell again in his shade; they will flourish like the grain, they will blossom like the vine. Hosea 14:7

One of the most moving songs in the musical The Greatest Showman is “From Now On.” Sung after the main character comes to some painful self-realizations about the ways he’s wounded family and friends, the song celebrates the joy of coming back home and finding that what we already have is more than enough.

The book of Hosea concludes with a similar tone—one of breathless joy and gratitude at the restoration God makes possible for those who return to Him. Much of the book, which compares the relationship between God and His people to a relationship with an unfaithful spouse, grieves Israel’s failures to love Him and live for Him.

But in chapter 14, Hosea lifts up the promise of God’s boundless love, grace, and restoration—freely available to those who return to Him heartbroken over the ways they’ve abandoned Him (vv. 1–3). “I will heal their waywardness,” God promises, “and love them freely” (v. 4). And what had seemed broken beyond repair will once more find wholeness and abundance, as God’s grace, like dew, causes His people to “blossom like a lily” and “flourish like the grain” (vv. 5–7). 

When we’ve hurt others or taken for granted God’s goodness in our life, it’s easy to assume we’ve forever marred the good gifts we’ve been given. But when we humbly turn to Him, we find His love is always reaching to embrace and restore.

When have you experienced or witnessed restoration beyond what seemed possible? In what areas of your life do you need reassurance of God’s promise to heal and restore?

Loving God and Creator of Life, teach me to trust in Your goodness—not just when I’m good, but all the time.

You can make an impact today.

曾住在他荫下的必归回，发旺如五谷，开花如葡萄树。—何西阿书14章7节

音乐剧《大娱乐家》的插曲《从今以后》十分感人，这是主角发现自己伤害了家人和朋友，历经一番沉痛的自我觉醒后所唱的一首歌。这是一首表达喜悦的歌，欢庆回家以及发现自己所拥有的已够多了。

何西阿书的结论也陈述与此相似的喜悦。当以色列人回转归向上帝时，上帝会恢复与他们的关系，使他们再次兴盛，百姓心中将充满无比的喜乐与感恩。这本先知书将上帝和以色列民的关系比拟为婚姻关系，哀叹百姓是不忠的配偶，未能专心爱上帝，为祂而活。

但到了第14章，何西阿强调上帝所应许的无尽慈爱与恩典、医治与复兴，凡因罪痛悔而愿意回转归向上帝的人，上帝会将这一切白白地赐给他们（1-3节）。上帝应许说：“我必医治他们背道的病，甘心爱他们”（4节）。上帝的恩典就像甘露，要使祂的百姓“如百合花开放”，“发旺如五谷”（5-7节），使看似无法修复的破败，重新变得健全和丰盛。

当我们过去曾伤害他人或将上帝的赐福视为理所当然时，常会以为自己造成的伤害永远无法弥补，无法修复。但只要谦卑归向上帝，我们就会发现，祂的爱随时都愿意接纳我们，并重新建立我们。

你何时曾体验或亲眼看见上帝做了奇妙的修复？
你生命中有哪个层面需要再次确信上帝医治与修复的应许？

慈爱的上帝，我的创造主，求祢教导我，
无论顺境或逆境，每时每刻都相信祢的美善。