Hosea 1:6 “She conceived again and bore a daughter. And the Lord said to him, ‘Call her name No Mercy for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all.’”

You think Hosea might be shaking his head about now? Call his little baby girl, “No Mercy?” Would you have liked to be a witness to that conversation between husband and wife? No mercy. Doesn’t sound like the God we know does it? We see Him as a merciful God filled with loving kindness not a God who closes the door on repentance. Yet, here we are. God has been merciful to these people over and over. Forgiving over and over. Rescuing them over and over. Their reaction? Sin the more. Ignore the pleas and warnings of God.

“No more,” God says. An end must come. He is longsuffering, not wanting anyone to be lost, wanting instead for them to turn to Him but longsuffering or not an end must come. For Israel it was coming from an enemy and soon. For us it is coming with Jesus on the last day. Mercy is a gift not an earned commodity and they squandered God’s mercy. Sad, mercy came to an end as it will for all who spurn it.

Task for Today: Don’t take the mercy of God for granted. Don’t abuse the love and grace of God by going your own way. While repentance can be accomplished throw yourself at the feet of the Almighty God and give up self. Enter His mercy that brings forgiveness.