Hope from Hosea

Hosea 1:2–3 (HCSB)

When the LORD first spoke to Hosea, He said this to him:

Go and marry a promiscuous wife

and ‹have› children of promiscuity,

for the whole land has been promiscuous

by abandoning the LORD.

So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

Imagine the Lord telling you to marry someone who you knew would be unfaithful to you! The Lord chose Israel knowing they would be unfaithful to Him. And the Lord chose us—and who of us have not been unfaithful to Him? We have been unfaithful by putting other things in the place of God in our hearts.

Hosea 2:14–15 (HCSB)

Therefore, I am going to persuade her,

lead her to the wilderness,

and speak tenderly to her.

There I will give her vineyards back to her

and make the Valley of Achor

into a gateway of hope.

There she will respond as ‹she did›

in the days of her youth,

as in the day she came out of the land of Egypt.

Look at that—the “Valley of Trouble (Achor)” became a “gateway of hope.” How many times, when we have wandered from the Lord, has He sent a season of trouble to turn our hearts back to Him? Our adversity has truly become our best friend.

Now listen to the words of the Father:

Hosea 2:19–20 (HCSB)

I will take you to be My wife forever.

I will take you to be My wife in righteousness,

justice, love, and compassion.

I will take you to be My wife in faithfulness,

and you will know the LORD.

Are we not grate for the unfailing love of God? Our relationship with Him does not depend upon our faithfulness to Him but upon His faithfulness to us!