God created everything. He owns everything. I think this is the first key to understanding where I'm going with this. You did not just end up here, without purpose. God created you for exactly the opposite. He created you for a specific purpose.
So, God being the most constant thing we've ever and will ever experience needed to give us a physical example of His love. So He instructed the prophet Hosea to go and marry a wife of harlotry.
Hosea 1:2
"When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea: “Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry, And children of harlotry, For the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord.”
I can only imagine Hosea's thoughts and feelings. Marry a woman who is almost guaranteed to cheat and be unfaithful. WHAAAT? But, he did it.
vs. 3 "So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son."
I also try and think from Gomar's perspective. Can you imagine a prophet, an extremely beautiful man of God, showing up at your front door asking for your hand in marriage? Being real, it's hard for me to imagine. Two marriages under my belt, four children; I relate Gomar { well outside of being a prostitute }. This was truly a strange couple - one person pointed others to God; the other illustrated the depths of sin. Through this marriage, though, God was planning to paint a picture of His relationship with Israel and ultimately all of us as His created beings. {You following?}
Hosea's marriage was hardly going to be a happily ever after to start. But what is so beautiful about this love story is that God, knowing that Hosea's heart would be broken through Gomar's unfaithfulness still told Hosea to pursue her and buy her back.
This is what blows my mind.
Hosea was married to Gomar. He was already one with her. So truthfully she was his already. Jesus commands him though, despite his heartache, to go again and love her. This is the same for our creator. We are His created. His creation. We began as His and lost ourselves to a world of sin.
3:1-3
Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.” So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half homers of barley. And I said to her, “You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man—so, too, will I be toward you.”
This love went far beyond mere sexual titillation or tingling feelings of excitement, true love is bold, and it lasts through pain and difficulty. It involves a passion, a pursuit and a commitment and never gives up. This is exactly how Jesus loves us and how we should love others {especially our spouses!}. Just as Hosea bought Gomer back and loved her, so God has bought us and loves us. He gave us His ONLY son Jesus. He bought us back with His sons blood.
In this same way, our love must be committed, bold, and trustworthy. Otherwise, it really is not love at all. So this is for those who are waiting on that earthly love; keep waiting. She, He, is waiting for you. Praying for you. And until he or she comes into your life run after Jesus. Don't walk, RUN. He will consume you with a fire that fills your bones and you will be satisfied consistently.
For those who are already married; love your wife or husband just as passionately and with as much grace and forgiveness that Hosea loved Gomar. It's possible. We see his reflection of love and of God's love in the way that he loves Gomar unconditionally.
Choose today to be bold in your love. It will be one of the best choices you've ever made.
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