“I will betroth you to Me forever;… in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy” – Hosea 2:19   ‘Betrothal’ is the first stage of marriage in Jewish culture and is more legal than an engagement, which usually lasts for a year before the wedding day. In some cultures, during this period before the wedding, the soon-to-be bride and the groom…

  “I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires” – Isaiah 54:11   The people of Israel sinned against God and turned away from Him. So, God allowed the Israelites to be afflicted as a form of His divine discipline. When God disciplines, it is for our good, even though it may not feel like it,…

  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, …to give you a future and a hope” – Jeremiah 29:11   Prophet Jeremiah is writing a letter to the Israelite captives in Babylon encouraging them in the LORD to stand firm in faith. Drawing a parallel of our lives with that of the captives, when we are…