I will settle them in their homes,”
    declares the Lord. (Hosea 11:11b)

Let’s not downplay the importance God gives to our home, being settled, and to claiming a land/space. God values the rootedness of home. He wants to give us a home and bring us to a literal and figurative place of feeling settled- a place that brings us peace and comfort. Ultimately, that place is found resting in God’s arms. But we are also given earthly places of comfort and safety.

This passage in Hosea begins with God speaking his love for the people of Israel in parental terms. He says

When Israel was a child, I loved him (Hosea 11:1)

but the people of Israel rebelled away from God, rejecting not just his laws but also the relationship with Him.

And then we read this heartbreaking account of our Father God speaking about his lost children:

It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love.
To them I was like one who lifts
a little child to the cheek,
and I bent down to feed them. (Hosea 11: 3-4)

Can’t you just hear how our Father misses his children? He’s always been there caring for us.  His love is not receiprocated. He’s being rejected. Can you imagine being the parent of a child that wanders away?

Then He gets real with His kids. We’ve all been there. Sometimes a bit of angry-parent is what our kids need to fall back in line. You might call it “losing your mind” with your kids. Sometimes we step across the line and need to apologize, but that’s not what happens in this passage. Sometimes it’s just a stern voice that straightens up the kids real quick. It’s not always bad. In fact, God nails it. He roars like a lion at his kids, and they tremble and shape right up. That cracks me up; I’ve been there.

They will follow the Lord;
he will roar like a lion.
When he roars,
his children will come trembling from the west. (vs. 10)

And something about God’s lion-roar gets their attention. We see the children respond. And then I love how this chapter ends.

They will come from Egypt,
trembling like sparrows,
from Assyria, fluttering like doves.
I will settle them in their homes,”
declares the Lord. (vs. 11)

The children come back to Dad. Our Father welcomes us back, and even “settles us in our homes.”

You know those awful days when it seems like your kids have misbehaved all day long and not listened to anything you’ve said???  We’ve all been there. The day may have included some lion-roaring at the kids. And then at the end of one of those truly awful days, have you ever just been able to forgive them for it all? Have you let all of the anger melt away, and allowed yourself to relish in the sweetness of tucking your child into bed? So has God. He settles us at home. He forgives all, and just tucks us in bed with a hug and a kiss. We can be “settled at home.”