Have you ever loved someone who kept walking away? You gave your all, yet they keep choosing everything but you. That’s exactly what God asked Hosea to do. But why would a God of love set up His prophet for such heartache? Let’s unpack what God wanted to teach us about His love.
Hosea was a well known and respected prophet. He was expected to marry a virgin, have children and live happily ever after. But this was not the case, God told him to marry Gomer, a prostitute. Even before the wedding, Hosea knew that Gomer would sleep around with other men. Yet he said yes, not to the pain but to the will of God above everything else.
When they got married, all Hosea wanted was Gimer’s love and devotion. However, despite the love he showered down on her, she continued her promiscuous lifestyle. Because of Gomer’s unfaithfulness, Hosea endured much pain, feelings or betrayal and profound loss but his devotion remained constant.
He tried everything to convince her of his love, yet nothing he did seemed to work. Eventually, she left him to chase after what she thought would finally bring the freedom and satisfaction she craved, only to end up enslaved.
Hosea never gave up on Gomer. After she left, he sought her out and paid the ransom to bring her home. No doubt the onlookers were whispering and judging Hosea, for what they saw as foolish and reckless decisions, redeeming his adulterous wife but nothing could deter him. His love was unwavering.
THIS MY FRIEND IS LOVE.
But how could Hosea love like that? So deeply? So unconditionally? How could he be so faithful in the face of such Heart wrenching betrayal? Hosea could love like he did because he had an understanding of God’s heart, and what 1 Corinthians 13 talks about, selfless AND profound love. He knew that God would use his story to teach a nation about the true nature of divine love.
Hosea could love like he did because his love story is a powerful illustration of God’s steadfast love towards us in spite of our unfaithfulness. This love story is a real life parable. Hosea represents God’s steadfast, redemptive love, while Gomer’s is a reflection of us, unfaithful, wandering, yet deeply loved.
Before we start judging Gomer or ask, “How am I like Gomer?” Let’s take a look in the mirror and reflect because It’s easy to see her flaws and miss our own. As God’s children, we’re called to walk in faithfulness and devotion, to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind Matthew 22:37, but like Gomer, we stray.
We chase things that promise fulfillment, only to find ourselves enslaved by them; trapped in cycles of sin, shame, or distraction. We may not relate to Gomer’s exact actions, but her story is our story. We sometimes behave like adulterous spouses with God. Giving our hearts to things that were never meant to hold them; careers, relationships, approval, habits. We chase after things, hoping to feel whole, and often end up more broken than before.
Like Gomer, we keep walking away from God, the One who truly loves us. Just as unfaithfulness wounds a spouse in an unfaithful marriage, our rejection breaks God’s heart every time we reject Him. Yet, He never stops pursuing us.
The love God has for us doesn’t flinch at failure, sees the worst of us and still chooses us, isn’t reactionary, suffers long and is rooted in His nature. God is love (1 John 4:8), and love is who He is, not just what He does.
God wanted us to see, through Hosea, what real love looks like. Love that doesn’t give up. Love that redeems. Love that restores. Love that stays. He wants us to love Him wholeheartedly and unreservedly. He desires a joyous, fulfilling and intimate relationship with us. God’s love for us runs deeper than we can ever imagine.
This story isn’t isolated. The whole Bible echoes the theme of love. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 KJV
Jesus, like Hosea, didn’t wait until we cleaned ourselves up. He stepped into our mess and paid the ultimate price for our redemption when He died on the cross. At times, we might feel far from God. Shame, regret, or distraction might have convinced us that we are unworthy of His love. But here’s the truth: we are never too far gone from the love of God. He is always reaching for us.
God wants us to always be aware that we are loved, His love for us will never fail, fade or end. As we reflect on God’s love and how much we are or aren’t like Gomer. Let’s be intentional about our actions. They bring either joy or pain to God.
If there’s anything that we’ve been chasing that’s taken us away from God’s heart, let’s take a moment to pause, and be honest with Him today. Let’s turn back to Him. He desires that we walk in complete devotion to Him. Remember, you are loved beyond measure.
If this spoke to you, take a moment and thank God for His unfailing love in the comments. Click the link below and check out the God-directed Step Youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/@goddirectedstep
Until next time, see you along the God-directed path.
Be Blessed.
God Directed Steps 