Xdrodinary love

This is a story I heard first as a junior in high school at a prayer meeting. It was a momentous day in my life and the story, one of those not widly known, is one of my favorites because it gives me a great comparison. So I encourage you all to read the story of Hosea and Gomer in the book of Hosea. . . but the story in short hand goes like this. . .

God told Hosea to take a prostitute as a wife and have children. So Hosea takes Gomer as his wife and they have a son. Soon after they have a daughter, and following that another son. After this time Gomer leaves Hosea for other men. God tells Hosea to go get her and love her as God loves his people. So Hosea goes and buys Gomer and tells her that she is not to be a prostitue anymore or intimate with any other man and he will live with her. (mind you this is after they have three kids and she just leaves. . . he finds her and brings her back)

Now that is the very shorthand version. Imagine your brother/sister or a close friend who beings to date someone who is widely known as permiscous. Most of us won't be to encouraging about that. . . whatever happiness they bring our loved one is not probable to the hurt that we can see down the road. Then getting married!!! You can just predict the unfaithfullness to come. Not smart right? Then they have children. This just seems to be a bad situation. Can't they see the person they are with is a prostitute? Then like predicted they leave and your loved one is stuck with three kids. Soon to find their spouse in bed with someone else! and not just one someone else either! If we had reached this point this is the end for most of us. . . thats enough. But no. . . Hosea not only seeks her out but buys her back. He takes her back into him home and says you are not going to do this anymore but live with me.

Drama? Yeah. Another time i heard this scripture presented with a scene from Mulan Rouge. Towards the end where Satine comes to Christian and tells him she doesn't want to see him ever again. That she chooses someone else. ( i apologize for not stating the whole story .. most have seen it just ask and i'll explain) Too see how she refuses him and his maddess of non understanding. He knows there is something wrong. . . he loves her. . . not as a prostitute as a person. . . how can she choose the Duke?

This story represents Isreal (or the people's ie. us) relationship with God. We are the prostitute. The rest of the book goes through and talks about the things Isreal has done in "adultery' against God, things such as following other Gods, lying to him, murder .. . it's all very symbolic. But it gives an illistration how we treat God. Yet even greater. . . his xdordinary love. To take us back, to BUY us back after commiting adultery over and over again. I don't know how he does it, but am i greateful. . .

Hosea 11
God's Love for Israel
1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 But the more I [a] called Israel,
the further they went from me. [b]
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love;
I lifted the yoke from their neck
and bent down to feed them.

God Bless!
~your sister in Christ~Erin