You Want Me To What?
S. O. A. P.
Here’s Your 90 second AM Devotional!
S-cripture:
Hosea 3:1
The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
O-bservation:
This is the story of God’s undying love for His people, and the loving Prophet Hosea, whom The Lord used to show how much He loves us. Israel’s record of chasing after other gods is notorious. At one point, God told His prophet Hosea to marry the prostitute Gomer and take her lovingly as his wife. Hosea yielded to God’s directive. Later she left the prophet to continue her licentious ways after bearing him a child. God said to Hosea, “Take her back again to show my people an illustration of the many times I’ve forgiven them.” Hosea must have initially thought, “You Want Me to What?” Though we have no indication that he did.
A-pplication:
This is the ultimate illustration in Scripture of human forgiveness. When Jesus told His disciples to forgive 70×7 in the New Testament, he could have used the story of Hosea and Gomer as a reference. He didn’t, because His Jewish disciples certainly knew the story well. Perhaps one of the most difficult things a person can do is forgive a spouse for sexual unfaithfulness with another partner. Yet the Lord asked Hosea to do it again and again. Hosea never flinched in his commitment to the Lord. The next time the Lord asks you or me something that seems unreasonable from our finite perspective, may we not respond with, “You Want Me To Do What?” Instead let us say, “Lord, may YOUR will be done.”
P-rayer:
Dear Jesus,
I’m willing, Lord, to follow You wherever You May lead me. Please know going in, I acknowledge that my flesh is weak. Help me say Yes, no matter what. Amen
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