Hosea...My Own Personal Love Story

Hosea is one of the minor prophets in the Bible. Most people have probably never heard of him or read the book that bears his name.

But in this book is one of the most beautiful passages of scripture in the Bible to me.

Hosea was a prophet of God, contemporaries with an old Amos and a young Isaiah and Micah. He may have even known Jonah.
God told Hosea to take "a wife of whoredoms"--to marry a prostitute, essentially.

Can you imagine the amount of gossip that this generated? Can you imagine what the headlines would say if Billy Graham married a prostitute? It would be perhaps the biggest church scandal ever!

But Hosea ignored the talk and married Gomer (Hows THAT for a name?) and proceeded to have three children:
1. Jezreel - Retribution
2. Loruhamah - No more mercy
3. Loammi - No longer my people

After at least two and a half years, Gomer returns to a life of prostitution. She leaves behind her children and this honorable man for a life of sin.

So did Hosea just say, "Oh, well, i guess she doesn't love me"?

NO

Even though-by Mosaic law-he had a right to divorce her and have her stoned, Hosea chose to pursue her. He found her in bondage, literally, as a slave and he bought her freedom.

Isn't that just...beautiful?

Hosea is portraying a type of Christ. This is Christ is His most beautiful form. He is the Lover, the Groom, always pursuing His bride, despite our sin and our constant abandonment of Him.

We are all Gomers. We leave behind the lives we've built and sweated and the One that has pursued us relentlessly.

But He pursued us still. Even when we were in bondage He bought us with the Highest Price.

Even when I had betrayed Him in every way, He loved me and wanted me.

And so remember, even though you may be in bondage to pornography or alchohol or drugs or any other sin: God still loves you and He will NEVER stop pursuing you.

So stop running and let Him find you. Let Him change you.

Surrender yourself to Him.