repentance & expectancy

Come, let us return to the LORD;
for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth. 
- Hosea 6:1-3

I spent some time reading Luke 3 today. It's on my "reading plan" for 2008. It's the passage that talks about John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus. He calls the crowd to repentance (v.8), righteousness (v.10-14), and leads them into expectancy (v.15). So I began to pray about what it means for me to recognize and agree with God about sin. What it looks like to pursue generosity, honesty, and contentment. And finally how to develop a trust and expectancy in God's presence and work in my life.

I was greatly helped by my conversation with Caitlin, and then blessed by the above passage from Hosea quoted on her blog. Interesting that repentance and expectancy are linked here as well. Glad that this coincided with the first real "storm" for Northern California that began today.

Usually I pray for a verse or passage to be a theme for the coming year of prayer . . . I am wondering about this passage from Hosea.

Anybody care to share their reflections on these verses as I pray about them for the coming season?