Your love for me disappears as quickly as morning mist; it is like dew, that vanishes early in the day … I want your constant love, not your animal sacrifices. I would rather have my people know me than burn offerings to me. Hosea 6:4b,6, GNT

 

My wife and I enjoy going for an early morning walk every day. Many mornings, a mist forms that quickly dissipates as the day heats up. Such morning mist never produces any rain. God compares Israel’s song of repentance at the beginning of this chapter with the morning mist that brings nothing forth because it does not come from their hearts. They believed that their disobedience could be quickly remedied by a few sacrifices, but sacrifices without real repentance are worth nothing more than morning mist.

 

God saw through their plans. He saw that the love they offered was not worth much. When God said that he wanted their love more than sacrifices, he touched on something very important. God has, after all, laid down the law about sacrifices himself.

 

The first seven chapters of Leviticus are completely dedicated to the laws regarding sacrifices. Sacrifices also played a big role in different festivals. Does God now suddenly say the sacrifices are not worth much? Not at all. Sacrifices from the heart and with the right conviction still play an important role. God did not scrap the idea of giving sacrifices in Israel, but what he wanted to stress is that love is far more important.

 

Love for God always goes hand in hand with dedication, but love can sometimes be very superficial. We experience it in our relationships with other people. When life is running along smoothly, it is much easier to love someone than when there is friction. The test for real love is total dedication, especially when a relationship with your partner, child, colleague or anyone else hits a rough spot. Our relationship with God can also hit rough spots in times of bereavement, serious illness, loss of a job or the break-up of a relationship.

 

When that happens, we should never doubt God’s love for us. On the other hand, if our love for him is like morning mist, we will never really experience his love to the full. And it will only be our fault.

 

Prayer: Lord, I confess that my love is so often like morning mist that will only last when things are going well with me. Please forgive me. Amen