Hosea 14: The Lord heals the apostasy

The Lord is good, we are not. He wants Israel despite her apostasy. He calls Israel to repent, He teaches Israel what to say when repented.

1-3 O Israel, come back! Return to your God!
    You’re down but you’re not out.
Prepare your confession
    and come back to God.
Pray to him, “Take away our sin,
    accept our confession.
Receive as restitution
    our repentant prayers.
Assyria won’t save us;
    horses won’t get us where we want to go.
We’ll never again say ‘our god’
    to something we’ve made or made up.
You’re our last hope. Is it not true
    that in you the orphan finds mercy?”

The Lord is the One who heals, apostasy included:    
    
4-8
“I will heal their waywardness.
    I will love them lavishly. My anger is played out.
I will make a fresh start with Israel.
    He’ll burst into bloom like a crocus in the spring. (...)


What will be the response of Israel - the One who heals? Will Israel turn to the Lord? The following verses appeals Israel to choose to live well. The Father wants us to live by his side, and have a meaningful life.

9
If you want to live well,
    make sure you understand all of this.
If you know what’s good for you,
    you’ll learn this inside and out.
God’s paths get you where you want to go.
    Right-living people walk them easily;
    wrong-living people are always tripping and stumbling.