As we enter a new year, we have the opportunity to see our lives in fresh ways, to change the things that we see are wrong, off balance, or destructive. I know I am constantly in need of a new start—to change the way I think or act or don’t act. That is where New Year’s Resolutions come in.

Hosea, a prophet from the Old Testament, lived in tumultuous times. The northern kingdom was coming to an end, when six different kings reigned in twenty-five years, and Assyria was expanding westward. Within a short time, the northern kingdom was eliminated. This all took place in the 8th century B.C.E. It would have been an unsettling time filled with uncertainty and fear.

This prophesy of Hosea reassures God’s people that God loves them and no matter what happens, God will always receive them back, no matter how often they wander. This is evident in our reading today. I especially like the imagery of God the loving parent in verses 3 and 4:

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
    I took them up in my arms,
    but they did not know that I healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
    with bands of love.
I was to them like those
    who lift infants to their cheeks.
    I bent down to them and fed them.

Can we acknowledge that God is like that, persistent in God’s love for us? If so, what a great time it is to make a change or two in our present lives—to trust God more, to stay close in worship, prayer, and reading of the Bible. It just might mean that 2023 will find us happier or healthier or more in line with God’s Kingdom on earth! That can only be a positive outcome. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Prayer: Lord, I really do want to change! Help me keep my New Year’s Resolution to draw closer to you and your will. Amen.