As I read today's passage, I couldn't help but hear the words of one of my favorite singer/songwriters--Brooke Fraser. Brooke has a song based on this book of the Bible. It's a song called "Hosea's wife" and here are a few of the lyrics:
I see the scars of searches everywhere I go
From hearts to wars to literature to radio
There's a question like a shame no one will show
"What do I live for?"
We are Hosea's wife
We are squandering this life
Using people like ladders and words like knives
If we've eyes to see
If we've ears to hear
To find it in our hearts and mouths
The word that saves is near
Shed that shallow skin
Come and live again
Leave all you were before
To believe is to begin...
When I read today's passage, the dramatic story of Hosea and his wife was striking. God called Hosea to basically become a living illustrated message--Hosea's love for his wife, a former prostitute, paralleled the love of God for His people. When Hosea's wife rejected him and their children to go back to her life of whoring, Hosea pursued her with love and care. He bought her back--He paid a great price to redeem the woman who discarded Him. That's the kind of love that God has for us!
I really loved this part of the passage:
And now, here's what I'm going to do:
I'm going to start all over again.
I'm taking her back out into the wilderness
where we had our first date,
and I'll court her.
I'll give her bouquets of roses.
I'll turn Heartbreak Valley into Acres of Hope...
God loves us despite our own stupidity, selfishness and missteps, He loves us. And in the words of Brooke (that paraphrase this excerpt)--to believe is to begin.
Tomorrow: Hosea 8-14
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