Tuesday Thoughts - Door of Hope

For the next few Tuesdays I’d like to share some Scripture God has laid on my heart.

Hosea 2:15

And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Vally of Achor into a door of hope.

I read “anchor” instead of Achor the first time I read through that verse. Then, I saw the footnote in my Bible. It said that “Achor” means “trouble.” And the reference took me to Joshua 7:26, which is a verse in the context of the sin of Achan. Do you remember his story?

After the glorious battle at Jericho, Isarelite was set to conquer the next city on their way into the promise land. Joshua, their valiant leader, took his men into battle against the wicked city of Ai. Without going into too much detail, the Israleites failed. They failed because of many reasons, but one of those was because some of them had disobeyed.

God gave them a command: do not take certain items from the city of Jericho. Instead of following God’s specific commands, Achan and some of his family, took these things. They hid them. They lied about them. God, in turn, allowed the Israelites to face defeat in order to show them that sin costs.

When Joshua is led by God and Achan’s sin is discovered we once again see God’s utter hatred of sin. Joshua knew that if the Promised Land was to be won, it would only be through the help of God. Our God is holy, and any sin in the camp should be destroyed. God commanded and Joshua obeyed by stoning and burning Achan’s treasures, as well as his life.

How devastating it would be to be in Israel during those days? It would seem as if God was all vindictive. He would seem to be just a God who looks down from heaven, waiting to strike anyone not obeying.

Hosea provides the truth behind that Valley of Achor. God doesn’t just punish sin. He offers hope in the same breath.

Hosea 2:15

And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Vally of Achor into a door of hope.

Remember how I thought the verse said “anchor”? Aren’t trouble just like anchors though? They keep us weighed down. They keep us from moving forward. We look at our sins sometimes and feel the weight of them on our shoulders. We know God punished and hates sin. But do we also remember that God says: You have sinned and You are loved in the same breath?

Sometimes our troubles are trials and tribulations that come, not because we sin, but because He wants to teach us somethings. Or sometimes they come because we live in a fallen world. Our troubles are not indicates of God’s love for us.

When am I going to believe Him and let Him make a Door of Hope for me? In the midst of the storms of life, when am I going to see the hope He provides? There is always a door. And there is always hope waiting on the other side.

Just as God promised the people of Israel that He would provide hope in the very same spot where sin was punished – God is always providing a door of hope.