Scripture

Hosea 3:1-2 (New Living Translation)

Then the LORD said to me, “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 and love to worship them.”

So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine.

Consider

The story of Hosea and his unfaithful wife is important because God uses it to illustrate his covenant love and faithfulness to unfaithful Israel. The story also shows us how to respond in a godly way to difficult relationships of our own. When we follow Hosea’s example of redemptive love and forgiveness to his wife, Gomer, we follow Christ.

Gomer had deserted her husband and three children to live a life of prostitution. Adultery and prostitution were serious crimes, and Hosea had a right not only to divorce her but to have her stoned to death as well. Instead, God commanded him to redeem her and to reinstate her high position in the marriage.

We glean two important principles from Hosea’s example.

First, God required love-in-action. We don’t know if Hosea sat at home pining for his lost love, but God said that loving silently from afar wasn’t good enough. Hosea had to put his love into practical action. “Go,” God told him, “and love your wife again.” It takes courage to step toward someone who has betrayed us and offer kindness. We may suffer silently and keep our love locked away for fear of being hurt again. Or we may have allowed the betrayal to turn our love bitter. God’s command is to “go and love.” Such an act is unnatural and requires the Spirit’s help. We may need boldness and wisdom and a fresh, compassionate view of the other person to step out and offer forgiveness.

Second, Hosea’s act of love required humility. The text implies that Gomer had sold herself into slavery. Even worse, she was a slave of little value because the price for her redemption was so meager. Honor was an important value in that culture, and Gomer’s betrayal not only hurt Hosea personally but humiliated him publicly. We can imagine his friends arguing against the folly of his putting down good money to redeem a worthless wife. To act in love after a betrayal not only takes courage but a good dose of humility. We must be willing to lay aside our pride and reputation for the other person’s sake. Gomer needed to be saved from her life of debasement, and God had positioned Hosea to redeem her. In like manner, God sometimes positions us to pay the cost of restoring someone who needs grace and a second chance.

Pray

FATHER, your story of Hosea is a story about your love for me and why you sent Christ to pay the price for my betrayal. Thank you for your relentless love that would not let me continue to live in sin and debasement. Thank you that Christ was willing to be humiliated for my sake. Give me courage and humility to show love to those who have wronged me and to forgive with the same grace you have given me.

Reflect

Psalm 32:1; Matthew 18:21-22

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What is the price you might pay in forgiving someone who has betrayed you?