2-26-2018

       Good Morning All,

           Hosea 14:4: “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.”

     If you are of an age that actually wore leisure suits when they were in style, tried to disco and had hair, lots of poofy big hair, you probably remember a phrase called “free love.”  There are many ways to describe “free love” but actual “love” probably isn’t one of them.  It was actually an excuse for wanton sexual exploitation and desecration of one of God’s great gifts. 

     Some of the fallout from “free love” is sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS; breakdown of the nuclear family, breakdown of trust between a man and a woman, a loss of a rudder in life, a loss of concern for our fellow man; I could go on but that are some of the “high” points.  It is somewhat telling that these effects were evident in Israel at the time of Hosea.

     Hosea was sent to prophesy to the nation of Israel and to preach repentance to a nation which had abandoned their sacred covenant with God and took up with idolatry and all of its immorality.  In order to show the Israelites how God felt about their falling away from faith (apostasy) from being faithful; God told Hosea to marry an active prostitute and then the children she bore were not his children.

      God compares the lack of faith, the infidelity of the people, with the lack of fidelity in a marriage.  God shows himself as the faithful husband while Israel is the unfaithful wife.  There are very few betrayals which are more painful than that of an unfaithful spouse.  It can rip your heart out and often leads to the death of the marriage.  This is why adulterers were stoned in earlier biblical times; their actions were viewed as ending a life.  The pain felt by those who experience an unfaithful spouse is harsh.  Although repentance and forgiveness are the goals, often the pain is too great and the wound is too raw.

    So as we think of this pain which the Israelites caused to God, then the willingness of God to forgive.  God tells them that he will heal their unfaithfulness and will love them freely; that is without condition or reservation or less than he did before.  Through this God reveals his nature to love.  God is predisposed to love us; it is only when our sins and impenitence cause God to punish us. 

     In many ways, we are the Israelites.  We refuse God’s grace and lust after false gods and idols.  These may be fame, fortune, or a number of other issues but all reflect a selfish desire to be our own god.  Even though our actions deserve punishment; God shows us his mercy and grace.  He heals us and loves us freely without condition.

Dear Father, we often turn from you to our plans and schemes.  Forgive us and heal us; bring us home to you.  Heal our doubts and cover our fears with your wonderful love.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret