Wednesday, July 11: Hosea 1 - Doing what God asks.

I found myself caught up in thinking about Hosea’s life and all the things God asked him to do. God directs him to marry an adulterous woman. Was she a prostitute or a woman who previously been married was caught in adultery and divorced? The text isn’t clear but technically if had she been caught in adultery, she and her lover should have been stoned. So it is more likely that she was a known prostitute.

Let that sink in a moment.

This is not some wonderful ‘redemption’ story like the movie “Pretty Woman.” Not at all! Hosea is directed to marry a prostitute with all the contempt that would mean in his day and culture and even more so he is to take her previously born illegitimate children as his own. "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness..."(2).

Then he has his own children with Gomer and the names he gives them are symbolic.

Note: he fathers 3 children with Gomer, which likely indicates 3+ years. Hosea has a long-term call.

I pondered everything asked of Hosea…

to marry a wife that would bring him disgrace

to parent children not his own, who were the product of illicit sexual encounters

to father his own children and name them with names that would be a constant reminder of God’s distain for His people. And how could it not affect Hosea who has to call and address his children with those names (not loved, etc.) every time he calls to them?

What would others think of all this?

I found myself wondering how I would react to God directing me to do these things. Would I do them? Would I be faithful like Hosea? Obviously, I would love to think I would easily be obedient to the Lord but would I, really?

This led me to examine my actions and my day-to-day faithfulness or more honestly my oft times lack there of…

Oh, God, compared to Hosea, You have asked very little of me.  Though I regularly fall short, You continue to love me and to forgive me. As I sit I am overwhelmed by Your grace and mercy. I have no recourse but to thank and praise You for redeeming and loving one such as me.

Through Jesus, I pray. Amen.

 

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