“For All” – Day Six

04 Sep “For All” – Day Six

Scripture: Hosea 2:20 NLT – “I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord.”

 

Observation: Even though God’s chosen people, Israel, had not been faithful to him, he makes a promise to win them back and be in a loving relationship with them.

 

Application: If you have never read (or heard of) the book of Hosea, no worries! Until about a year ago, I hadn’t either. It’s a collection of writings in the Old Testament from the prophet Hosea including an autobiographical section of one of the craziest love stories ever told. Hosea 1 sets the scene – God calls Hosea to be a prophet (someone who speaks for God) and immediately commands him to marry a prostitute… I told you it was crazy! So Hosea marries a prostitute named Gomer and things fall apart pretty quickly.

 

Skip ahead to Hosea 3 and we see the beautiful conclusion to the love story (I promise, it is a love story!) Gomer left Hosea and sold herself into slavery. But the Lord tells Hosea to go find his wife, declare his love for her, and buy her freedom. Hosea does this, Gomer becomes faithful to him, and their marriage is restored. What a wild love story! But why is it in the Bible?

 

Northern Israel in the mid to late 8th century B.C. (the setting of the story, and Hosea’s “Journey City”) was a place of severe political unrest, and widespread idolatry. This was supposed to be God’s people prospering in the promised land, but it had turned into a society where military coups and ritual worship of Canaanite fertility gods were commonplace. God likens this to Gomer’s unfaithfulness to Hosea.

 

When I first read this story, God made it so clear to me that I am no different from the Israelites. I may not be living in the same situation, but I too had been looking away from God for life. Despite this, God made a promise that through Jesus, applies to me: “I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord.”

 

Our God loves us deeply and he will stop at nothing to win our hearts. He sent his only Son on a mission to find us. He declared his love for us by going to the cross to suffer the penalty of our sin on our behalf, purchasing our freedom.

 

He wants to know you deeply and relationally. He’s there in the best moments of your life, joyfully pouring out his blessing on you. He’s there in the mundane, still delighting in you. He’s there in the trials, mercifully shaping you in the battle. He’s there in your worst moments, gently and compassionately knocking on the door to your heart, relentlessly pursuing every part of who you are.

 

He loves you and will stop at nothing to win your heart. Remember his promise, “I will be faithful to you and make you mine.” He is wholeheartedly, constantly, and irrevocably for you! Will you rest in this and surrender to his pursuit today?

 

Prayer: Jesus, I surrender to your pursuit. I give you every part of who I am – the good and the bad. Thank you for loving me even when I ran away from you. Spirit, please fill my heart with the love of God today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Josh Watson

J-Groups Area Coordinator

 

Josh serves as the Young Adults J-Groups Area Coordinator and as a Team Leader on Journey Worship. God has used The Journey to show Josh the beauty of being with his people, and making an impact in the community. Josh has a passion for helping others get connected in meaningful relationships.

Going Deeper: 

Read the book of Hosea. The first three chapters contain our story from today’s devotional but there are eleven more that explore God’s heart for his people through poetry. Want to go even deeper? Read it with some friends or as part of your next J-Group! You can discuss what is encouraging, confusing, challenging, etc.

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