Hosea: God's Faithfulness in Christ - Go Again and Love

Our text this week brings us into what our modern culture might refer to as a toxic relationship. Hosea, married to an immoral Gomer, who apparently has racked up a significant debt and is living in indentured servitude, is told to go again and love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulterous. Today’s culture might see this as manipulative, even toxic. Hosea is throwing his life away, loving a woman who doesn’t reciprocate his love. Maybe Hosea is manipulating her with guilt for her waywardness, trying to rehabilitate her. Maybe he’s got low self-esteem and loving Gomer makes him self-righteous. Maybe he has a savior complex. Since Hosea represents God in relationship with Israel, there is a bit of Savior complex. Consider what Paul says, For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

Thanks be to God for loving the ungodly! Join us as we worship Him and rejoice in His saving grace!