Hosea

Hosea is a prophet. A prophet that obeyed and followed. A prophet that loved God so much. He preached to Israel. He told them about the wrath of God. He told them about the love of God. He told them to repent and run from their sins, but Israel refused. Israel was ignorant.

Gomer was a prostitute. She would leave at night and return the next day. She would bear children that were not Hosea's. She would leave Hosea for other men. Gomer was so lost and confused that she sold herself. She gave herself away to the hands of evil men.

Gomer and Hosea were destined to be. God called Hosea to marry Gomer, a woman that would hurt him more than anyone else. God called Hosea to marry someone that would give herself away. She sold herself into slavery. She pursued lovers that would never satisfy. God called Hosea to marry a woman that did not love him. God called Hosea and Hosea listened.

I can only imagine the pain Hosea felt every night. The pain of hearing his lover sneak out into the streets. The pain of knowing that she was sleeping around. The pain of looking at children that were not his. Children that were conceived out of prostitution. The pain of watching the one you love the most throw their life away. The pain of a broken heart.

Gomer! What were you thinking! How could you abandon someone who loved you no matter what? How could you turn your back on someone who loved you through all your mess? How could you? How could you? Did you not know how much he loved you?

God! Why would you call Hosea and destine him for such a painful fate? Why would you call him to love someone who did not love him back? Why would you do that to your servant? Why? He loved you so much!

Glory shown through the streets of Israel on that dark night. The night when Gomer the prostitute was being sold. She was standing naked and vulnerable in front of the crowd. She was on display for all to see and she was being sold to the highest bidder. She was cold and lonely. She was abandoned and forgotten. She had given herself away to so many men that there was no other way to go than into slavery. She had gone too far and had been away too long to come back home. She had no other hope than to be another man's prostitute. She knew that she had thrown everything away. She knew that all hope was lost, but amongst the crowd she could hear a voice. She recognized the voice, but could not remember whose it was. She listened and heard herself sold away to the man that paid, "15 shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley (Hosea 3:2)." The man took her into his arms and 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 live with you (Hosea 3:3)." Then she realized that she was safe. She was in the arms of her lover. She had been saved. Hosea had came for her and paid a price for her. He came to love her. He came to save her.

The words that Hosea said to Gomer must of sounded so sweet. Gomer must have felt so relieved to hear the comforting words of her husband. How grateful she must of felt to know that he came for her and found her. How overwhelmed with love she must of felt when she knew that he gave it all for her. He rescued her from evil and brought her home. She was safe and she knew that she was loved.

The unconditional love of Hosea is God's unconditional love for me. I am Gomer! I am the prostitute! I am the one who sneaks out at night and gives myself away to lovers that never satisfy! I am the one that has no hope! I am the one that forgot the love of my lover! I am the one that went too far to bother coming back, but thank goodness God found me on the street! Praise God for coming for me! Praise God for the son he sent to buy me! Praise God for love that is unconditional! Praise God!

I was bought for a price. I was bought with a single, pure and holy life. The one God loved the most gave himself up so that I may be loved. So that I may experience Grace. The blood of Christ is the greatest gift I could ever have. Oh how my God loves me! He loves me! He loves me! He loves me when I run away! He loves me when I make a mess! He loves me when I sing His praise! He loves me when I cry! He loves me even when I give myself away to other lovers! He loves me!

This story is a reminder of how much God has loved me. A reminder of his unconditional love that I so often take for granted. Also this story calls me to go out and love others. To go out and love people like Hosea loved Gomer. God loves me so much, but yet I love no one. I keep it all to myself and there are millions of people that have never experienced what I have felt. So this story is a story that has changed my life.

God I pray that you will change my heart towards people. God I pray that you will remind me every day of your unconditional love so that I may share it with others. God thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I love you!