Advice From Hosea to the Backslidder

Hosea 12:6 "Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually".

Therefore:

"Turn thou to thy God..." - Matt 3:8 - this a change of direction, repentance if you will, and is the cornerstone to once again finding any favor with God. For one who is walking contrary to the commandments of God it is to acknowledge their breaking of Gods laws and turning themselves back into the pathway of obedience.

"...Keep mercy and judgment" - another translation reads like this "keep kindness and justice"; these are fruits that release the hand of blessing in ones life. Some examples of this virtue of being just are:

Matt 1:19 we see the actions of a just man; he is merciful and seeks love not vengance and judgment. He is not seeking his own vindication. He believes he has been injured yet he behaves discretly.

Luke 23:50 - we see here being just is associated with the fruit of goodness. Goodness is the inability to do harm to others.

John 5:30 - here we are told that Christs judgments are just; in other words they are not technical or severe, they are just seasoned with goodness.

Acts 10:22 - in describing Cornelius we are told he is just and one who fears God and is of a good report; being just flows with the fear of the Lord and having a good report. And so being just is not just balances and scales weighing good and bad but it also takes into consideration other laws such as goodness, mercy and love (Luke 11:42).

"...Wait on thy God continually" - Jer 29:11-13 - we emphasize Jer 29:13 in particular; those who seek God continually will find Him!

This verse is wonderful counsel for those who have backslidden; for those who have turned their back on God and need a pathway of returning carved out for them. Those who practice these advices (backslidden or not) will release the good hand of God in their life.