Hosea 7

“They do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own deeds have surrounded them; they are before My face.” (Hosea 7:2, NKJV)

What clothing do you most enjoy wearing? For me, I love my blue jeans with a t-shirt or when it is cold, a flannel shirt. While people are very interested in physical clothing, God places the greater value on spiritual clothing. He sees us as being clothed with our works. We can put on the garments of righteousness or else we can clothe ourselves with wickedness. However, everything is in full view of the Lord. And yet many people live as though God doesn’t see, or that they will never give an account for what they say and do.

It is easy for us to think that if we don’t recall our past deeds that God won’t remember them. But God does not forget. He sees everything we have done for our entire lives. And He has heard all our conversations! The only way God forgets is when He chooses to forgive and forget because we have confessed our sins. Then they are under the blood of Christ, and He remembers them no more.

Knowing that our deeds surround us should cause us to examine ourselves. What are we wearing? How do God and others see us? Are we living after the Spirit so that we are wearing love, joy, peace, patience and kindness? Or are we living after the flesh with the clothing of uncleanness, contentions, jealousy, selfishness, anger or hatred?

Maybe people aren’t listening because they can’t get past what we are wearing. But even worse would be for God to stop listening to our prayers.

“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Revelation 19:7–8, NKJV)