The following is an excerpt from the book,“Love Isn’t Selfish.” I wanted to share a bit with you all here to discuss how God’s love may be modeled in our human relationships.
“The story of Hosea is an amazing story of being “in” love. Hosea was instructed by God to take an adulterous wife. Hosea married Gomer, and she was unfaithful to him. She bore three children, but it is questionable whether the second or third were Hosea’s. The first son, Scripture says “she conceived and bore him a son” (Hosea 1:3). His name was Jezreel, “because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel,” says the Lord in verse four. The second, Scripture says in verse six, “Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter.” The daughter’s name was “Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer show love to the house of Israel, that I should at all forgive them” (verse 6). Later on, Gomer gave birth to another son, whom the Lord said to call “Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people, and I am not your God” (verse 9). In Chapter two of Hosea, Israel is rebuked. Verse two says “Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband.”
The relationship between Hosea and Gomer here reflects what was happening between God and His people, Israel. Israel was being adulterous and was not in love with God, her maker and her husband. The names of Hosea’s children were warnings to the people, each stronger than the one before, but the people did not change their ways. The Lord then turned from his wife, Israel, and removed His blessings from her. This is echoed in Hosea’s actions. Gomer had apparently become a slave during this time, and Hosea bought her back as his slave. He agreed to live with her on the grounds that she would not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man for “many days,” implying a period of isolation after which there would be a future. In that same manner, throughout the unfaithfulness of Israel, God sought reconciliation rather than divorce. Hosea chapter six, verse six says, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.” After turning from His wife, He turned back and showed love again. Blessing would come with Israel’s repentance.”
God loves us. The phrase is used so often it seems to often be brushed aside as if it has no real meaning. If I could give the world one message, it would be that God’s love isn’t selfish, and He truly has our best interests in mind. God seeks reconciliation rather than divorce, mercy rather than sacrifice, and acknowledgment rather than burnt offerings. I pray each of you may have a deeper understanding of God’s incredible love for you!
