"Hosea is the prophet of love, but not love as we imagine or fantasize it. He was a parable of God's love for his people lived out as God revealed and enacted it - a lived parable." Eugene Peterson, Introduction to HoseaGod commanded Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer and to have children with her. God even named their children for them - Jezreel, No-Mercy, and Nobody. And in this outrageous story, God gives us a lesson that He "uses to pierce the hearts of his people." (Peterson)
"The lesson was on forgiveness. From Hosea's life we learn four important truths about forgiveness.
First, forgiveness is learned by forgiving. Forgiveness isn't a theoretical course learned in the classroom; it's a practical exercise learned in the lab of everyday life...[And] God did something remarkable. He told Hosea to take [Gomer] back, to forgive her. Which he did. That was the pivotal moment in Hosea's life, and it's what became his life's message.
Second, forgiveness is strategic, not spontaneous. Forgiveness is planned for, prepared for, and carefully plotted...Rather than waiting for Israel to ask for forgiveness, God took the initiative. He pursued her relentlessly. Forgiveness is deepest and purist when it's initiated by the one who has been offended. That's why Christ offering himself on the cross is the most powerful image of forgiveness we have.
Third, forgiveness is gracious, not judicious...God "does not treat us as our sins deserve" (Psalm 103:10-12). And since Hosea was to be a reflection of God's forgiveness, he didn't treat Gomer as her sins deserved. He received her back as a wife and a mother.
Finally, forgiveness costs something. It isn't an easy emotion but a costly action. It was costly for Hosea to forgive. It was costly for Jesus. And it will be costly for us." Eugene Peterson, Conversations, pg. 1368.My heart is pierced. In some ways, I've bought into our culture that says, "God would never ask me to do something like that." In reality, I just don't want to do difficult things. My pride balks. And forgiveness is at the heart of it.
I'm intrigued by the idea of my life being a lived parable. I want to live a Christ-like life. It starts with me continually yielding myself to God. Again, it's not about trying harder or faking emotions that I don't have. It's about loving by faith and trusting God to give me the power to forgive those who have hurt me and walking in that forgiveness day by day.
Today, I'm asking myself questions that Peterson poses:
"Is there someone in your life who has hurt you deeply, perhaps even publicly humiliated you? If God were to use your life as a visual aid to show others who he is, how would that change the way you think about that person, the way you talk to that person, the way you act toward that person? What's keeping you from showing that person the type of forgiveness that most reflects the character of God?"I'm challenged by these questions. I have a lot to think about, much to confess to God.
How about you? How would you answer those questions?
4 comments:
God keeps impressing on me that true love requires sacrifice. He made the ultimate sacrifice for me because of His love, not because of my attractiveness. There are a couple of relationships in my life that love is requiring sacrifice of me and I must choose to lay down what I'm trying to protect so that I can move in love.
All this talk about love and forgiveness is powerful stuff. I constantly battle the "cultural graffitti" about love and when my expectations (fairy takes) are disappointed, I struggle with bitterness. Bitterness is wretched and insidious. A girlfriend and I just had a wonderful conversation about how the remedy to bitterness is gratitude, and after today's reading, i'd say forgiveness figures in there, too.
Forgiving as an act of love. Forgiving NOT because the offender has asked for it, but as a sacrifice and act of love, yes, that will fight bitterness. Forgiving because Christ first forgave me, yes, that will fight bitterness.
I'm really excited about what God has for me in this book (in these 2 days), for I'm sure i'll end up pondering these thoughts and questions for a while!
I'm back...
Loved what you wrote Cici when you said: Forgiveness is deepest and purist when it is initiated by the one who has been offended. Never thought about that. That phrase so calls to me. I am praying for an opportunity where I can initiate where I've been offended cause I believe I'm free in ways I've never been. So grateful to a Good God! We are all going to spend eternity together----can't we get along here? Loved Hosea 6:1 Go back to God. He hurt us, but He'll heal us. If I could just see what was going on around me, I'd have so much more hope than I do for wrongs righted. But alas, my love is like the morning mist. My God is giving us all love that lasts.
I love this. .. And then I'll marry you for good-forever! I'll marry you true and proper, in love and tenderness. Yes, I'll marry you and neither heave you nor let you go. You'll know me, God, for who I really am. (2.20)
Love her the way I, God, love the Israelite people, even as they flirt and party with every god that takes their fancy. (3.1)
No more whoring around, no more sleeping around, You're living with me and I'm living with you. (3.3)
Forgiveness has to happen if there's real commitment. I'm learning this in many relationships. How in so many cases, I can just choose to leave that relationship behind or continue it and find healing through forgiveness. And it has to be out of love! Or else whats the motive to forgive?
But I don't get this. Unless I take a hard look at how I was forgiven. But when I forget that or don't experience God's forgiveness for me, I forget the need to forgive because its harder than it is easy. Thankful to be forgiven.
(first time reading Hosea!)
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