Like Hosea

October 8

Hosea, the Old Testament prophet is the author of one of the minor books in the Bible. His writing constitutes a mere six and a half pages of regular-sized print in a standard King James Bible, yet he tells the gospel story--albeit in a nutshell.

In Chapter one, verse two of the book that bears his name, Hosea is told by the Lord to, “Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms, for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.”

For his part, Hosea was faithful to his errant wife. He loved her and he loved their children; however, she seemed to be held captive to her forbidden past lifestyle. Hosea spoke tenderly toward her and endeavored to woo her back to himself, saying, “I will make you my promised bride forever. I will be good and fair and I will always show you my love and mercy,” Hosea 2:19. This is much the picture of the Lord’s relationship to us. Believers are the Bride of Christ, we are to rule and reign with Him eternally.

He has gone against all convention to make us His own in spite of our unworthiness. Does He turn us away when we fail Him? When we disappoint Him and turn our back on His love, does He regret the salvation for which He paid so high a price to buy us back from sin? No. Like Hosea, He takes us back and promises again to be good and fair and merciful and loving toward us—as soon as we ask Him to forgive us, He washes us afresh and reaffirms to us that we are His beloved.