The story of Hosea is an incredible account of
great love, mercy, and grace. Some may think that his wife, Gomer, did not deserve it.
After all she made the choice – Hosea is the victim. That’s the whole point
about God’s grace! We don’t deserve it and we’re not worth it, but He still
pursues us. Jesus was willing to pay the “price” for our freedom and forgiveness.
Paul tells us, “You have been bought with
a price.” – 1 Corinthians 6:20 We have been purchased from the marketplace
of sin and degradation. “Christ redeemed
us”. – Galatians 3:13 Jesus gave His own blood and life as payment for the
sins of all mankind. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance
with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7.
After Gomer was set free Hosea said to 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.” For the Israelites will
live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the Israelites will return and
seek the Lord their God and David
their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings
in the last days. - Hosea 3:3-5 He informs his wife that her adulterous days are over. She would
spend the rest of her life as his wife devoting themselves to each other.
We
see in the New Testament teachings about this type of married relationship.
Jesus is the groom and the church is his bride, and there are expectations. But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual
immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever
sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that
your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God
with your bodies.- 1 Corinthians 6:17-20 We are His alone and should
turn from our past sins and focus entirely on Him.
Peter
reminds us, But you are a chosen people, a royal
priesthood, a
holy nation, God’s
special possession, that
you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his
wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you
are the people of God; once
you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.- 1 Peter 2:9-10 Accept His great mercy
and grace for you are special – not because of what you’ve done but because of
His great love for you. Apply the lessons from Hosea to your life. Remain
faithful to the God who loves you more than we could ever imagine with a never
failing love.
Praise God for His unfailing love in your life today.
