Daniel 9-Hosea 14
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I married the most amazing woman I’ve ever known on June 7, 2003. Since that time, we have prayed that God would glorify Himself through our marriage and through our family. We want to have a home that displays God’s glory. Keelie and I want our marriage to accurately reflect the relationship to Christ and the church as much as is possible within our limitations as fallen people. In this way, we hope that our marriage and family are a picture of the gospel to everyone we meet.
God had a different plan for Hosea’s family. He commanded Hosea to take an adulterous woman, Gomer, as his wife. He then had him give his three children names that reflected the coming judgment of God. When Gomer chased after other men, God had Hosea go and redeem her and bring her back into his home. Hosea continued to show love to a woman who blatantly abused his love.
Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!
Much like Ezekiel, God used Hosea’s life and actions to paint a vivid picture for Israel. Hosea’s marriage to Gomer represented God’s relationship to Israel. Just as Gomer chased after other men and committed adultery with them, so Israel had chased after other gods to commit spiritual adultery with them. Just as Hosea remained faithful to Gomer and even wooed her back, so God continued to love Israel, calling her back to repentance.
God’s love for His people is greater than we can imagine. Many of us would not fault Hosea if he had forsaken his adulterous wife and started over again with a woman who really loved him. But God deliberately put Hosea into this position to demonstrate the depths of His love and the lengths to which He will go to bring a wayward sinner back into His love. I believe that marriages can be saved more often than we give them a chance to be saved, but God’s love is greater than even the love of a man and wife. His love is faithful and endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34, etc.).
Let’s never forget the depths of God’s love. Let’s remember that no matter how unfaithful we’ve been, if we turn back to Him, He will show His love and forgiveness for us again. Let’s also remember that God expects us to show that same love to others. If we’ve experienced the grace and forgiveness of God for all of our sin, how can we withhold forgiveness from someone who has wronged us (Matthew 18:21-35)?
Words of Reason 