In Manchester, England just this past Monday, concert goers were attacked by the Islamic State Group (ISIS) where young children were attending.  A suicide bomber entered the arena, killing 22 people and wounded 59.  The youngest victim who was killed was only eight years old.   There is no doubt that our world lives in fear.  When I hear news, such as this, I am reminded of how far our world has turned away from God.

In Hosea 1:1-11, God is fed up.  The people have turned from God.  The whole country has become a whorehouse.  He goes to Hosea and tells him to find a whore to marry.  With each child, they are told what to name the children – “No Mercy” and “Nobody.”  God tells them, “You’ve become nobodies to me, and I, God, am a nobody to you” (Hosea 1:9 – The Message).

However, God does promise that the population of Israel will explode – like sand on the ocean beaches (v.10).  It is God’s plan to bring everyone together where they will all belong to God and it will be a great day!  (v.11-12).

No doubt, this world is in turmoil.  Evil does exist in so many ways.  But, I don’t think we can lose sight of the prize.  Our belief in God is to know that God will conquer evil in the end.  In the meantime, we can only pray for those who were massacred, wounded, and pray for peace in those who were a witness to such a horrific event.  But, I believe that we should also pray that God somehow will change the hearts of those where evil resides.  I can’t change their hearts and neither can you.  But, God can.  God did it for the sake of Israel – He is our only hope.

Let us pray…Gracious God, we pray that you are with the families of those who were at the concert in England.  Give them peace in knowing that You have a bigger plan than any of us can possibly imagine.  Turn those hearts that are so far from you, back to you.  Help us to remember that our hope is in you.  Amen.