brought back

1 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” 3 So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. Hosea 1:1-3

If you're honest with God when you read this opening passage of Hosea, you have to ask, “What were you thinking?" As if it were not difficult enough being a prophet, why place on Hosea's shoulders such an intolerable burden as an unfaithful wife?

When God gave this bizarre command to Hosea, you'll notice that he did not use her name. This is probably because Hosea knew exactly who it was God was talking about. Her name was Gomer. She was notorious for her unfaithfulness. Nonetheless, in obedience to the command, the prophet took her as his wife.

You would hope that living with a person who wrote one of the books of the Bible might have had some small impact on her behavior. It did. She got worse! Chapter 3 alludes to the fact that she became a prostitute and that Hosea was forced to buy her back for 15 shekels and a measure of barley.

It would be difficult to describe the emotional pain Hosea must have endured because of this impossible relationship. But the pain is the point and through that suffering God was doing something truly amazing—inviting the prophet into his own emotional life. Hosea and the Lord shared something in common—they were both married to unfaithful people!

Two points beg to be made here. First, God uses suffering in his plan. Hosea was being called to “participate in the sufferings” of God and thereby to become acquainted with his heart (1 Peter 4:12-16). His pain uniquely prepared him to better represent the Lord.

Second, by buying her back, Hosea demonstrated prophetically what God would someday do for us through Jesus. Like Gomer, we are habitually unfaithful and yet we have been bought back at an enormous price (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Did you notice that Hosea did not demand that his wife “clean up her act” before he bought her back? Do you ever find yourself in painful relationships like Hosea's? Could God be using the pain to invite you deeper into his heart?

He does not demand that you “clean up your act” before you come. He only bids you to come. He'll do the cleaning. —Michael Card michaelcard.com

seeking: Father, what have you just revealed to me about my unfaithful heart? What do I need to confess to you this moment?

responding: Why is it important to know that God uses suffering to mold us? How has he shaped me through hard times? • How will I glorify him through my suffering today?

Master, look at me. My name is Gomer and I have been unfaithful. You called me your bride, inviting me into the intimacy of walking with you. And I have broken faith. Jesus, I turn back to you. I acknowledge the price you paid to buy me back. And so I ask, Lord, that you would keep a close watch on me. Don't let me go, or else I'm likely to stray once more. You are my Faithfulness, my Ransom, my patient, loving, forgiving Husband.

following: Jesus loved us and bought us back.

our journey