Lessons from a Prophet

I’m reading Hosea, amazed at the picture of a loving, compassionate God who says of His children in Israel, “I will love them freely…” even though they turn away. Who doesn’t stand amazed at the prophet Hosea who modeled a love that restores and forgives and runs after a wife that forsakes him? It is easy to see God in Hosea.

And then there is Gomer. The adulterous wife who takes for granted the love of Hosea, seeking to fill her heart with other things, and I want to say, “Gomer, what are you thinking?”

But Gomer is me. Every time I let worry creep into my heart I am saying, “God, I don’t need you. You are not big enough to handle this problem”. When I fill the holes with temporary satisfaction rather than lasting joy. When I forsake my First Love by not spending time with Him, using that precious time for insignificant things.

God desires my faithfulness, my whole-hearted devotion. And just as Hosea reconciled with his wife, God wants to open His arms for reconciliation with me too.  He says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness, my love will know no bounds for my anger will be gone forever”. (Hosea 14:4)