BIBLE READING: Hosea 11:8-11
We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
We may be sorely aware of the deep shame, trouble, and pain we inflicted on our family when we were controlled by our addiction. We may be afraid to admit the exact nature of our wrongs because we don’t understand how God could love someone who is so bad.
Hosea was a prophet to the rebellious nation of Israel. God used Hosea’s life to demonstrate his unconditional love for us and his people. The Lord told Hosea to marry a prostitute. Hosea married her, loved her, and devoted “himself to her. But later his wife relapsed into her old ways, broke Hosea’s heart, and brought shame on their family. She fell into slavery. God then baffled Hosea by telling him, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the LORD still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods” (Hosea 3:1).
We may be asking, How could God (or anyone) still love me? But God asks, “Oh, how can I give you up . . . ? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you . . . ? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. . . . For I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy” (Hosea 11:8-9). There is absolutely nothing we can do or confess to God that would cause him to stop loving us (see Romans 8:38-39).
Excerpt From: Tyndale House Publishers. “The Life Recovery Bible NLT.
We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
We may be sorely aware of the deep shame, trouble, and pain we inflicted on our family when we were controlled by our addiction. We may be afraid to admit the exact nature of our wrongs because we don’t understand how God could love someone who is so bad.
Hosea was a prophet to the rebellious nation of Israel. God used Hosea’s life to demonstrate his unconditional love for us and his people. The Lord told Hosea to marry a prostitute. Hosea married her, loved her, and devoted “himself to her. But later his wife relapsed into her old ways, broke Hosea’s heart, and brought shame on their family. She fell into slavery. God then baffled Hosea by telling him, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the LORD still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods” (Hosea 3:1).
We may be asking, How could God (or anyone) still love me? But God asks, “Oh, how can I give you up . . . ? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you . . . ? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. . . . For I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy” (Hosea 11:8-9). There is absolutely nothing we can do or confess to God that would cause him to stop loving us (see Romans 8:38-39).
Excerpt From: Tyndale House Publishers. “The Life Recovery Bible NLT.
No comments:
Post a Comment