If You Knew It Was Coming... Would You Still Do It?

Have you or someone you know behaved like a prostitute in their marriage? How can this be a "good thing"?! If you knew it was coming, would you still do it?

Hosea 1:2

NLT – When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.”

GNT – When the Lord first spoke to Israel through Hosea, he said to Hosea, “Go and get married; your wife will be unfaithful, and your children will be just like her. In the same way my people have left me and become unfaithful.”

Wow!! Can you imagine?!?! Being told right up front, how your spouse is going to be, and what they are going to do in your marriage? THEN for it to be “as an example” to everyone for “their” sake?!?! I mean, to HAVE to endure all the heartache, shame, humiliation, ridicule, laughter… because it is from God for THEIR sake? Wow! As much as I love the Lord, and believe that we go through things for reasons… To be told right up front what to do, what’s going to happen and why, and then to have to actually LIVE through that?!

Well, as I sit here and realize that I’m not sure I would actually have THAT much faith – to do what God asked Hosea to do. I mean, yes I have endured MANY things over my years here on earth. My late-husband was a doozy of a man, and my daughter and I went through some incredible trials because of him. “Would I have” married him IF I had KNOWN what he was going to do ahead of time? Hmmm, I’m not so sure I would have! Yes, I learned a LOT through all of that time! Yes, I KNOW God was in control and held my daughter and I in His hands on a daily basis! Yes, there were MANY miracles that we were blessed with after his death – but would I have actually “done it anyway” if I had known the outcome, the trials, the pain and suffering? I don’t think I would have.

Now, to be fair, I was NOT walking with the Lord when I first met my late-husband. I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus at all. I knew nothing really of the bible. So really, there were most likely moments where God was “trying to stop me” from making that decision, but I didn’t know His voice then. Did all of those trials increase my faith, you bet it did!!

I just think this is an amazing story that God is showing “our nature” towards Him through Hosea and his wife and children. In different versions of the bible, the words for Hosea’s wife, Gomer, are prostitute, unfaithful, whore, whoredom. Some pretty strong word descriptions right there. Yet, if we truly look at our lives – we ARE like this towards God! How many times have we “begged” Him for something and even tried to “bargain” with Him?! How many times have we tried to do something “behind” His back?! How many times have we fallen to the temptations in darkness?! How many times have we broken our promises and vows towards Him?! Ouch! Right?!

Good news!! Jesus is our deliverer in ALL of our mess-ups! He suffered the price of the death that we deserve for our actions and choices, so that we don’t have to when we die. We have been adopted into Gods family and we are dearly loved! JUST AS WE ARE! Mess and all. Which is what I am looking forward to reading here in the rest of Hosea. Even though they keep messing up, God is faithful in delivering them and bring about the BIG promises He says He will do with/to/for and through them.

Today, I pray that you remember ALL of the blemishes and spots that you once had. Remember how Jesus cleansed you from EVERY sin you ever did and ever will do! Don’t let the devil or his army, condemn you for something you did however long ago, before you accepted the gift of Jesus. We are NOT to live like that! We ARE to live in the expectation of all that the Lord is going to be doing in and through us for His glory! Remember, that Jesus turned our unfaithfulness into a miracle through His salvation. I’m excited for what He shows you today, as you sit before Him with your hands wide open, asking for forgiveness for anything that has been “brewing” below the surface. Let it out. Give it to Him, and let Him wash you with forgiveness! He did amazing work through Gomer, He WILL do amazing things through you as well!! Be well, be safe, and be blessed BIG time today as you sit on Gods lap ;-)