The Love of God

     It has been a while since I posted anything, but for the past few days this has really been speaking to me. I am reading through the Message version of the Bible right now and today I started the book of Hosea. In the Message version of the Bible, there is a little introduction before each chapter that gives a little background on the book that follows it. The introduction to Hosea just blew me away.

     The first three sentences say, "We live in a world awash in love stories. Most of them are lies. They are not love stories at all-- they are lust stories, sex-fantasy stories, domination stories. From the cradle we are fed lies about love." I don't know what you are thinking when you read this, but when I read this I was just thinking, "YES!" It is so true! The author then goes on to talk about how it is bad enough that this messes up human relationships, but it also messes up our relationship with God. We all say that God is love, and if these stories are our definition of love, then that is one of the worst definitions of God I have ever heard. It also makes what Jesus says are the most important commandments very hard to understand: "Jesus said, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matthew 22:37-39). It is hard to love God and love people if our definition of love is these "love stories". Then the author says, "We require true stories of love if we are to live truly."

     The author then goes on to talking about the prophet Hosea. I don't know about y'all, but I look at Hosea is a real man. He did exactly what God told him, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. He married a whore! All I have to say is, I wish my faith were as strong as Hosea's. Not only did he marry her, but he had children with her. But guess what... She still sells herself after they are married. She still sleeps with multiple men. Guess what else... HOSEA STILL GOES AFTER HER! Like, what the heck?! This just doesn't make any sense! Why would you still go after someone if they slept with multiple people after you had gotten married? It makes absolutely no sense!

     So, guess what God is showing us through Hosea. THAT IS HOW HE LOVES US!!! We slap God in the face multiple times every day by sinning. But He is still pursuing us! He still loves us! He STILL loves us!!!!! It makes no sense! We go against Him multiple times every day, but He still loves us! THAT IS FREAKING AWESOME!!! We are so undeserving! What we deserve is hell. Brad Cooper told our community group one morning that "Hell is the most fair thing ever." We absolutely deserve hell, BUT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE SENT HIS ONE AND ONLY SON THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!!!! That is just what it all comes back to. It all comes back to God's love. And don't try to wrap your mind around this, just accept it! Our puny, little, Earthly minds can't comprehend the LOVE of God. Just know that God loves you like this, and thank Him for this every day!