1 John 5:1-21
Psalm 124:1-8
Proverbs 9:5-8
Today's OT reading - wow. God asked Hosea to marry a "promiscuous woman" - an "adulterer". And He didn't just order Hosea to marry her, to give himself in marriage to someone whom both he and God knew was conducting herself in a manner singularly unsuited to the commitment of marriage, He ordered him to have children with her. He didn't just command Hosea to bear the burden of an adulterous wife, he commanded him to have children who would suffer that burden as well.
Two things come to mind. The first: the instinctive response - "God, are You kidding me? You can't be serious." Followed by the inevitable "what kind of a God would inflict this on me?" Often this becomes justification to disobey God and seek sinful gratification apart from Him. And yet we know from subsequent reading that God had His purposes, and we are left to choose whether or not to believe that because those purposes were His, they must be good - even if we don't understand them. Not an easy thing to choose - moreso if one was in Hosea's situation.
The second thing that comes to mind is this: God's purposes and plans had use - even for the grievous sinner. When I sin and the reality of my sinfulness hits me, it is difficult to believe God could forgive me, even harder to think He could love me. But He goes beyond that - despite my sinfulness, He has use for me! This is not to say He condones my sins, no - but He still has room for me to be engaged in the coming of His kingdom, despite my sins. I may be unworthy, but He makes me worthy.
Father today I ask you two things. Grant me the humility to remember that Your ways are above my ways, and Your thoughts are above my thoughts, and remind me that my obedience is premised neither on my understanding nor my agreement. And then when I do sin and hide myself in shame, remind me that Your love is so great You not only forgive, You never cease to love - and You still have use for me in Your kingdom.
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