Being lead to Africa...

Holly Frew and I leave for Africa March 8, returning August 2. I was looking over some things I'd studied and recorded this year, this morning and what I've copied below is perfect for our upcoming journey! I want to share it with you. I studied this maybe in the summer sometime. I am so blessed by this again and I hope you will be too. Perhaps the Lord is leading you into a desert, out of your comfort zone. Read what some of the words mean broken down by their original Hebrew definitions. It may breathe some comfort to you if you're in a wilderness right now. :)

Hosea 2:14 – 16,19-20 (NIV):


14 "Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her.

15 There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will sing as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt.

16 "In that day," declares the LORD,
"you will call me 'my husband';
you will no longer call me 'my master.

19 I will betroth you to me forever;
I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
in love and compassion.

20 I will betroth you in faithfulness,
and you will acknowledge the LORD.



Verse 14 – He will allure us into the desert. Into the wilderness, out of your comfort zone, where you two are alone. Intimacy with Him. No fear. Allure means: attract, appeal, draw, pull, charm, fascinate. He will allure us tenderly. ‘Tenderly’ translates in Hebrew as speaking comfort, courage, and wisdom. He will pull us away from our comforts into a state of stillness to speak comfort, courage and wisdom to us.

Verse 15 – Achor means trouble. This valley was near Jericho where God first judged his people in the promised land. It became a symbol of new opportunity. (NIV study Bible) Our land of trouble, our daily woes will prove hopeful if given to Him. He will turn our troubles into hope-felt songs of gladness. We will sing as we did in the beginning of our faith journey when we were first delivered and called to Him! Basically, we’ll have a huge celebration!

Verse 16 – Husband represents such a deeper intimate relationship than a master. Not only our teacher, but our friend. There is a warmth in this calling, a deeper beckoning.

Verse 17 – Betroth means to engage (hold, appoint) for matrimony!! He will engage us; appoint us to matrimonial union to Him through righteousness, justice, love, compassion, and faithfulness! Love in this text is translated from the Hebrew word, checed, meaning: favor, merciful kindness. Compassion derives from the Hebrew word, racham meaning: tender love, mercy. He will betroth us with favor, merciful kindness, tender love and mercy.

Summed up:

He will allure us; warmly summon us to a stillness with Him so He can speak tender comfort and wisdom to us. So we can look on our worries with hope. So we can sing and praise as we did when we were initially called by Him. In that day of renewal, of inner renovation, we will no longer call him master, but our husband. We will engage in a matrimonial union with Him in righteousness, justice, love, compassion, and faithfulness. For all these things, we will acknowledge Him – and He will gladly receive the exaltation!