How does God love us? One of my favorite places to find this answer is in the book of Hosea. Here, God uses Hosea’s relationship with his wife to show us how He has loved us. I pray we are convicted and encouraged as we look at God’s love for us in action.
Before we can understand the depth of God’s love for us, we must first understand the depth of our sin against Him. The book of Hosea gives us a picture of our sin. Here we are likened to Hosea’s wife Gomer, who betrayed her husband to make a name for herself through a life of prostitution. Like Gomer, we are all guilty of similar adultery for seeking life outside of Him. We are promise breakers. We have rejected God to seek satisfaction elsewhere. While walking in sin, God has loved us. In Hosea’s response to Gomer we find how God demonstrates His love to us.
First, God tells Hosea to reclaim his bride. I can imagine Hosea considering the most likely places to find a prostitute and then heading out to search the dark alleys and abandoned buildings for her. After seeking her, I picture him finding his wife in a room with paying customers. In this moment I can image the surprise as he claims her as his beloved while she is filled with shame. God wants to be associated with us. He reclaims us as His own even in our most broken form. God reclaims the sinner. This is love.
Second, God tells Hosea to redeem his bride. Picture Hosea demonstrating his love for Gomer by outbidding her other clients. Redemption takes sacrifice. There is a payment made to buy something back. Hosea pays to be with his wife. God redeems the sinner. This is love.
Third, God tells Hosea to renew his beloved. He tells Hosea not to share the marriage bed with her for a long time. After many long, lonely nights of not being considered, Hosea is asked to consider the broken state of His wife and understand that healing will take time. Hosea must not immediately demand what is rightfully his. Instead, he must be willing to build intimacy over time. God renews us. This is love.
Fourth, God tells Hosea to restore his bride. Hosea hopes that all that has been lost with Gomer will be regained. He demonstrates trust that the broken things will be made whole again. God restores us. This is love.
We can see this reclaiming, redeeming, renewing, and restoring love of God on display in the life of Jesus. He claimed those others were ashamed to associate with. He gave it all to redeem the lost. He had mercy on those damaged by their sin and was patient with the process of renewal. He was confident that dead things would be restored to life. This is love.
As we consider how God loves us, may we love others the same. How will God use you to show His reclaiming, redeeming, renewing, and restoring love?
In Christ,
—Roger Garrison
