A Living Object Lesson

In the book of Hosea is the story of Hosea and Gomer.  Hosea, a prophet of God,  married a prostitute.  This was an object lesson to God's people to show how God loved Israel. Even though Israel had turned their backs on God and had worshiped other gods, God still loved them. And this is the story that lived in the life of Hosea. God loved his people so much that he was married to them. God uses the institution of marriage to show the example of his love for his people. We read in Ephesians that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. Gomer was a prostitute, that was her profession. We as God's people have dishonored God so many times and yet he loved us anyway as Hosea loved and married Gomer. Gomer left Hosea and went back to prostitution. Hosea went and bought her back. He paid good money to get her back. I don't know how the story ends, did Hosea and Gomer live happily ever after? Don't know, but we can. When we join ourselves to God, we can have God's protection in our lives. God can transform us into the image of his son.  This got me to thinking about how God joins two people in marriage and they become one. As different as they may be God joins them together. I am not sure I fully understand this. Two become one. We become one with God when we become part of his bride the church here on earth. The Bible calls it a great mystery, but he is talking about God and his Church. We are to become one with God. We are to look like him. I often think of my own marriage. I am thankful for the woman that God gave me, yet we are so different. But God through the institution of marriage joins us together to become one. What is God trying to teach us in this great mystery as God calls it?  We can be different in our thinking and still have a united purpose? Men and women think differently, yet God chooses to join us into one. Is it to balance each other as we have different strengths and weaknesses? Hosea had every right under law to divorce Gomer, but God said No.  You, Hosea are to show how much I love Israel by marrying this prostitute. Then when she leaves, God tells Hosea to bring her back. God still loves his people and wants to bring them back into relationship with him. I have been through divorce and an unfaithful spouse myself, I understand how much this hurts. This hurts God when we turn away from him and return to our old sinful lifestyle. Yet he loves us anyway. In spite of our sins God still loves us and brings us back. No man comes to the Father except the Father draw him. Jesus goes and seeks the lost sheep. God initiates the action to find the lost sheep just as much as Hosea finds his errant wife and buys her back. This story is telling us how much God loves us in spite of our sins. God bless. LVZ