The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes." Hosea3:1-2
God asked Hosea to preach a message with his life. He was to marry an unfaithful woman named Gomer. She was a prostitute and kept running after material things, earthly pleasures and other gods. Inevitably these things would shipwreck her life and she'd end up sold in slavery.
Hosea was asked to love her. To go and buy her out of slavery and lavish his love on her. He would do this again and again.
This incredible act of wilful (will-full) love was an "enacted parable" and was to be understood as God's patient journey with the nation of Israel.
Today is Valentine's day and we celebrate the joy and beauty of romantic love all over the world. On Valentine's day, few of us can imagine a grizzled prophet crossing over into a foreign land, striding into a seedy neighbourhood and seeking out a broken and used up prostitute so that he can rescue her, spoil her and love her unconditionally.
Few of us can imagine a God hanging on a cross, dying for a worn out unfaithful bride who has just whipped Him, spat on Him and crucified Him.
Thankfully we don't have to imagine it - it's not a fantasy that needs to happen - it's already been done!! It's fact!! He did all of that for us.
We have been given the greatest new beginning ever.
We are His valentine!
And He has shown incredible love to us!
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
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That's the end of our new beginnings series...
Any suggestions for the next one?
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
