January 22, 2023
“Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant” Psalms 31:23 (NLT)
“Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow.” Proverbs 25:18 (MSG)
“Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for us.” Romans 5:8 (GW)
Sometimes LOVE and OBEDIENCE require us to do difficult things. Has God asked you to do something that was HARD, and you immediately said, “Oh God that is too hard?” Did you say yes to God immediately or did you ponder and finally say, “Yes God I will be obedient to what You have asked me to do.” Or were you disobedient to God and His Word?
This week in Bible Study Fellowship our study was from the book of Hosea. What a challenge theologically! I thought I would share it for this week’s devotional because it is as relevant today as it was in Hosea’s day. God commanded Hosea to do the unthinkable! In the first chapter of Hosea, the Lord spoke to Hosea, and told him to marry a prostitute, and have children with her. Hosea obeyed as God had commanded. This study reminded me of when God asked me to do a HARD thing and I was not immediately obedient; however, I finally said, “okay God, this is hard, but I will do what You have told me to do.”
The opening chapters as well as the entire book sets the stage for Hosea’s message which alternates between judgment and salvation. Hosea’s relationship with his wife Gomer was designed to reflect the Lord’s experience of being rejected by His covenant people Israel. Hosea was to love his adulterous wife as God loves the Israelites. Hosea remained faithful and showed love to his straying wife, despite the humiliating betrayal he had suffered. He personally and painfully lived out God’s prophetic message in his own life and home. The people in that day acted like prostitutes and abandoned the Lord.” The book of Hosea is a demonstration of Betrayal, Redemption/Restoration, and God’s Relentless Love.
BETRAYAL: Yes, we are guilty of Betraying God today! Our unfaithfulness and disobedience to God is Betrayal to HIM. We disobey when we do something God’s Word tells us not to do, or when we don’t do something God’s Word tells us to do. We are disloyal to God when something else is more important than Him, or when we trust in something or someone else to help us without even acknowledging God or asking for His help first. Numbers 5:6 says, “Give these instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people-men or women-betray the Lord by doing wrong to another person, they are guilty.” Jeremiah 3:20 also says, “You have betrayed me, you people of Israel! You have been like a faithless wife who leaves her husband,” says the Lord. Our doing wrong to another person is a betrayal to God because we are breaking our pledge of loyalty and obedience to Him. We must realize that betrayal may be a part of everyone’s experience, even as Christians. Expect it and you won’t be surprised when it comes. Prepare for it and you will be less surprised. Always guard your heart from doing wrong, keep your vows, and remain faithful to your spouse. Remember, the enemy cannot close a door that God has opened for you!
REDEMPTION AND RESTORATION: Hosea’s marriage to Gomer ultimately revealed God’s redemptive and restorative purposes. Hosea’s marriage and redemption of Gomer represent God’s intimate relationship with Israel and His people throughout time. Hosea purchased Gomer back from her life of sin and restored her as his wife. Comparably, Israel drifted deeply into sin and deserved brutal judgment. God redeemed and restored them as a result of punishment then through the promise to reconcile them to Himself. We are more like Gomer than we care to admit. We are ever wandering and seeking what seems irresistible when viewed through the limited human lens of sin. Sin leads us away from the only true source of soul satisfaction, our intimate fellowship with God. God extends not just His hand, not just words, but His Son, Jesus Christ to atone for our sins.
Isaiah 53:5 reminds us “He was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten so that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! (NLT) Romans 5:10 says, “Since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life.” (NLT). Jesus, our Redeemer, deserves resounding thanks, praise, devotion, and honor for His sacrifice on behalf of us, who are undeserving. God sent His Son to fully pay the purchase price to redeem and rescue desperate and hopeless people. Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, paid for sin with His precious blood. Through faith in Christ, God delivers believers from a wasted life and into a glorious eternity. Praise God!
RELENTLESS LOVE: The Lord told Hosea to demonstrate his love to his adulterous wife once more. This gracious act would
serve as an object lesson of God’s Relentless love for Israel despite her gross unfaithfulness. God’s faithful love offers hope to sinners. The Apostle penned in Romans 8:38-39 a great description of His love for us. He says, “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NLT)
A LOVING 
HEART: We love because God loved us first. “Whoever says, “I love God,” but hates another believer is a liar. People who don’t love other believers, whom they have seen, can’t love God, whom they have not seen. Christ has given us this commandment: The person who loves God must also love other believers.” 1 John 4:20-21. (GW)
Love should be the coalescing force and the distinguishing mark of the Christian life. It is the key to walking in the light of Christ because we cannot grow and mature spiritually while we hate others. We cannot know how to live if we do not know GOD’S WORD! Our growing relationship with God will result in growing relationships with others.
FATHER GOD, Thank You for Your Word that teaches us how to live! Help us to remember that the greatest demonstration of our love for You by the way we love one another, in the Precious, Powerful and Preeminent Name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Love Others The Way God Loves You!