August 19: Foggy Love

Read Hosea 6:4-6


Fog has a certain romance to it. It's the cloudy mist that spreads across the Yorkshire bogs of England, the early morning cloud that nestles low in the mountain valley, and the gray, mysterious soup that soaks the New England shoreline. Fog reminds us of eerie mysteries and passionate romance.

But, as a phenomenon of weather, fog is really kind of bland. Fog exists when it's not wet enough to rain and not clear enough to be sunny. It's kind of an in-between condition. It's there just enough to cloud our visibility and add a chill to the air.

The prophet Hosea charged that Israel's love for God had become like morning fog that passes away. The people knew all the right "God-talk," but they never seemed quite willing to give God the steadfast love he desired.

It wasn't that they were always bad or never good; it was just that they were always in between. Their love wasn't wet enough to be rain or clear enough to be sunshine. It was just a halfway gray that kept them from clearly seeing God.

Think About It

Too many of us know exactly why God was dissatisfied with Israel's love. Instead of a faithful, steady commitment to God, many of us also have offered him a foggy, halfway love that seems to melt away as the day wears on. We start off okay, but then in the heat of everyday life—tough choices, tempting options, tests, and trials—our foggy love evaporates into a midday mist.

What are some of the foggy areas in your life? Is it greed? Is it disobedience to your parents? Is it looking down on others who are different from you? Is it holding back from that full commitment to God? Is it your dating relationships?

This passage reminds us that foggy faith is neither refreshing like rain nor warm like sun. What makes your love for God foggy? Ask God to burn away that fog and help you to love him fully.

Pray About It

Lord, show me the places in my life where I have given you a halfway, foggy love instead of the wholehearted, steadfast love you want.

Daily Reading Plan—Read Revelation 21:21



God's Word for Students.