This morning my mind felt like a blank slate. No thoughts or words were forming.
As I debated which of my Bibles to pick up: the brand new study Bible with lots of extra context or my worn Bible with the 15 year history; my hand reached for the one with history. It felt familiar and I knew would be easy to navigate.
As I opened it, it opened to a page with this verse, found in Hosea 1:2 ‘When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord.”
I forgot to mention that this particular Bible is a couples devotional Bible that I got when I first got married. It has devotions that specifically talk to the heart of marriages and couples.
Of course, this is not the first time I’m seeing this devotion. But, it always stops me in my tracks. These instructions don’t even seem to make sense. God specifically told Hosea to go marry a prostitute, and Hosea knew going in the type of woman he was marrying, and yet, he did it anyway. I’ve read accounts that even the names of the children indicate they are not from Hosea.
Even as Gomer (Hosea’s wife) left him on many occasions for other lovers, God instructed him to go back and take her back. Even at some point, having to buy her back from a master.
I don’t know about you, but these instructions seem hard.
Yet, the Lord was using this prophet, Hosea to show the great lengths that God goes to, to rescue His people that worship other gods.
Each time Gomer would leave: Each time Hosea would go back and bring her back home.
Some years ago, I read a version of this in a modernized way called ‘Redeeming Love’ by Francine Rivers. And, if it sounds familiar, it’s because it was made into a movie a few years ago.
God’s love extends to places that are beyond our wildest imagination, and I’m learning that sometimes He gives instructions that do not make any sense, to prove His great love and care for the people involved.
Ultimately, through Hosea’s love and forgiveness, Gomer was redeemed. As it is with God’s great love, we too are redeemed.
Lamentations 3:22-23 states ‘Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.’
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your great love for us. Sometimes, like Hosea, we look at our situations and say ‘this does not make any sense, why do I need to do this?’ But you have shown us that it’s because of your great love. Nothing is ever wasted in the experiences that you bring us through. May we always be reminded of this.