The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethel of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.” (Hosea 3:1-3)
Background
God has authored plans for each of our lives. Hosea was given a tough assignment. Hosea was instructed to personify God’s love…and this was not going to be easy. Hosea was a prophet whose name interestingly means “He saves”. This story provides one of the most poignant pictures in the bible of God’s crazy love for us. Early in Hosea’s ministry God asked him to marry, Gomer, a prostitute. Hosea at the time, as a prophet, was likely one of the most visible people in Israel. He was a man of God. His reputation had to be important. Or did it? Hosea was more concerned with obedience then building his personal brand. He obeyed. Hosea married Gomer and life seemed to settle for a bit. They had 3 children and all seemed to be trending to normal for a few years.
And that is when the proverbial damn broke. Gomer left Hosea for another man. Gomer didn’t believe at the time that Hosea was enough. There were better options. Betrayal. Three kids and now a single parent. And this must have hurt. He had come to love Gomer. No, this must have been excruciating. He wasn’t good enough. She rejected him. And this rejection took place on a very public stage.
And life went on. Managing the pain. Managing the personal rejection. Managing the kids. One foot in front of the other.
And this is where God’s next instruction went over the top – “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
Hosea was being asked to head to the other side of town. Find his wife. Someone who at the time who was loved by another man. And offer love. To someone who had rejected him. Seriously, Lord? What if she rejects me again? How much can I take? He obeyed.
Reflections
The father’s love unfortunately so many times stands in contrast to the love I can muster. I easily love those that love me. Those that like me. When I’m rejected I protect myself. Build walls. My prayer life fixates on those I love…and those that love me. Those that reject me? Not so much prayer “air time” unfortunately…yet.
Satan whispers to me that God’s love is somehow limited. That he has so much other big stuff to focus on. That when I screw up in the same areas over and over, God is sorely disappointed in me. That he shifts his gaze away from me. Disappointed. Simply, that God’s love for me is somehow attached to conditions of my performance.
But that isn’t the picture of this bible narrative. We serve a god that pursues the imperfect. That continues to chase even when they have made mistakes and reject him. He keeps coming. He doesn’t give up.
And this is the love that the Lord has been trying to get me to understand. And to model.
Lord, please forgive me for transferring my imperfect love and limitations onto you. This concept of love is so difficult for me to truly absorb. Please by your holy spirit drive it deep. Help me to model this same love. To love without conditions. Even those that are difficult to love…or don’t love me. Let people someday see in me the same crazy love that you extend. Amen.
What if the world came to see evidence of this irrational and crazy love demonstrated again and again and again by the Christian community in their everyday lives? How would it change the world’s view of Christianity?
What if we truly understood the depth and breadth of this love? How would we live differently?
What if... 