Lessons from Deprivation5/20/2017 God loves to shower blessings and good gifts upon His beloved children. However, sometimes we, as fallen man, love and worship the gifts rather than the Giver. When this begins to happen, God’s heart is very grieved and out of His love, He begins to discipline us—which often begins with deprivation.
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The Purchase of Gomer5/17/2017 Gomer’s sin and adultery led her into slavery and bondage. While it is unclear whether she became a literal slave, Gomer was indeed enslaved mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to the lifestyle she had chosen. She was trapped in the downward spiral of sin, and in her own power she couldn’t escape, even if she wanted to.
Nevertheless, the faithful husband that she had left behind was on his way to rescue her… Love Conquers All5/13/2017 God and Israel. Hosea and Gomer. Two covenant relationships that ended in estrangement. However, as we learned last week, God would eventually woo back Israel’s wayward heart and Israel would return to the God of her fathers'. But what about Hosea and Gomer? After giving Hosea three kids, Gomer took off and returned to her life of prostitution, flitting from man to man until she ended up in slavery. So was there any hope for their relationship?
Forsaking the LORD for...Raisin Cakes?!5/10/2017 At some point in life, everyone makes a stupid decision or two. Okay, that was sarcasm. Let’s face it, we make a LOT of stupid decisions. But hopefully our moments of stupidity are nowhere near as serious and long lasting as Israel’s.
The LORD My Husband5/6/2017 This chapter opened with the declaration “I am not her husband.” However, after the LORD drew Israel into the wilderness and spoke to her heart, she responded. She returned to the devotion of her youth and again recognized the LORD for who He is.
After this epiphany, the LORD gave Himself a new name. God Never Gives Up5/3/2017 Our God is a God of second chances, third chances, fourth chances, fifth chances, and more. He doesn’t give up on those He loves, but extends grace and offers them another chance to do things right. Even in the midst of holy anger, God was preparing to win back Israel’s heart and affection.
Continued from Wednesday’s post… “And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.”
Not only did Israel chase after false gods and lovers that were unable to satisfy, she also pursued the things that she thought they had given: food, jewelry, substances, and protection. But the truth was that God had given her these things. Even in her waywardness and disobedience, He was the Giver of all good things, the Provider of all her needs, and the One who protected her from harm. Nevertheless, Israel refused to acknowledge her God and attributed these blessings instead to her false, evil, and pagan gods. When misplaced and pursued with the wrong motives, love is foolish, fleeting, and unsatisfying. Gomer learned this hard lesson when she decided to leave her husband and children and return to her former profession—a life of prostitution. Israel also discovered the consequences of misguided love as God’s holy anger rained down upon them for their adulterous love for the false god, Baal.
There Will Be a Day4/22/2017 Judgment, wrath, and the holy anger of God were looming on the horizon for adulterous Israel. Destruction and alienation from God were coming, and Hosea’s children bore the warning signs. The future of Israel was looking grim, hopeless, and dark; however, in the final verses of Hosea 1, God gives a word of hope.
What's In a Name?4/19/2017 Names. Sometimes they’re traditional like Samuel, Ruth, David, Mary, Joshua, and Sarah. Other times they’re old-fashioned sounding like Hazel, Albert, and Eleanor. But more recently, names are new, odd sounding, or gender neutral like Taylor, Xavier, and Punkin.
Nevertheless, names hold significance. Parents don’t generally name their children randomly and without forethought. They typically select names that contain significance and meaning, either in the definition of the name itself, remembrance of a person who bore that name, historical or biblical history behind the name, or simply because they like the way it sounds. But whatever the case, there is generally a reason behind the names they choose. |