Then the LORD said to me, “Go again,
love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the
love of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love
the raisin cakes of the pagans.” Hosea 3:1
No human
can comprehend God’s love for His children! Our limited experience of human
love hinders us from understanding God’s unconditional love for us. We can see
a picture of this love in the life of Hosea.
Hosea was
a righteous man, but God told him to marry a sinful woman. Hosea obeyed and
took Gomer as his wife. He cherished her and treated her with dignity and
respect. Never before had Gomer experienced this kind of love, but she soon
grew dissatisfied. She began giving her affections to other men. She became so
involved in adulterous pursuits that finally she abandoned Hosea altogether.
Other men used her until she had nothing left to give. Then they sold her into
slavery. After this, God gave Hosea an amazing command: “Go and buy her back.”
Despite the intense pain and hurt that Gomer had inflicted on him, God told
Hosea to forgive her and to pay any price to bring her back into his home.
God’s
message is clear: When we reject Him and turn our devotion elsewhere, our
rejection carries the same pain as an adulterous betrayal. After all God has
done for us, it is incomprehensible that we should reject Him. It is even
harder to fathom that God could love us even after we have rejected, ignored,
and disobeyed Him. Yet God’s love is completely different from ours. His love
follows us to the depths of our sinfulness until He has reclaimed us. His love
is undaunted when we run from Him, and He continues to pursue us. What
incredible love He has demonstrated to us!
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