Hosea 14            The Lord Promises New Life

Return to the Lord your God. Your sin has made you stumble and fall. Return to the Lord, and let

this prayer be your offering to him: Forgive all our sins and accept our prayer, and we will praise you as we have promised. O Lord, you show mercy to those who have no one else to turn to.The Lord says,

I will bring my people back to me. I will love them with all my heart; no longer am I angry with them.I will be to the people like rain in a dry land.They will blossom like flowers; they will be firmly rooted like the trees of Lebanon.They will be alive with new growth, and beautiful like olive trees.They will be fragrant like the cedars of Lebanon.Once again, they will live under my protection.I will answer their prayers and take care of them.Like an evergreen tree I will shelter them; I am the source of all their blessings.

I promise new life.