RETURN to ME: Reading With the People of God #16نموونە

The Heart Behind the Rules
In today’s readings, we encounter the danger of hollow religion—when people draw near to God with words or rituals, but their hearts remain far from Him. God speaks through the prophet Hosea with grief and clarity: His people have rejected knowledge, forgotten His law, and turned worship into performance. The issue isn’t just disobedience—it’s disconnection.

Jesus confronts the same issue in the New Testament. When questioned about Sabbath laws, He reveals that true rest and healing are found not in rigid rule-keeping, but in relationship with the Lord of the Sabbath Himself.

The call to “return to Me” invites us to more than just outward obedience. It’s a call back to the heart of God—where mercy, truth, and nearness matter most. Whether we’ve slipped into apathy, busyness, or even religious pride, God’s desire remains: that we would know Him, not just know about Him.

What part of your walk with God needs to move from routine back to relationship today? Return—not just in practice, but in heart.