I am Hosea son of Beeri. When Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were the kings of Judah, and when Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel, the Lord spoke this message to me. The Lord said, “Hosea, Israel has betrayed me like an unfaithful wife. Marry such a woman and have children by her.” So I married Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and we had a son.
Hosea 1:1-3
The story of the prophet Hosea is certainly a tragic one. And yet Hosea was walking into the heartbreak of marrying a woman who would not be faithful to him because God told him to do it! I thought God only wants a "wonderful life" for all of His children? Why would the path that He lays out for you include suffering and heartbreak?
God said that Hosea's trouble with his unfaithful wife was like God's experience with unfaithful Israel! God not only wanted Hosea to preach His message as a prophet, but He also wanted Hosea's life to show them the relationship between God and unfaithful Israel. In the process Hosea came to understand the Heartbreak of God!
When you sin, others are hurt by it. Even if you don't physically harm someone else by sinning, sin always damages relationships! That's what happened in the Garden of Eden. But when you sin, the one who hurts the most is God Himself! Every pain you feel because of a wayward child is one way you come to know the Heart of God! All our suffering teaches us about God Himself.
The other side of that same coin is this: Every time you experience the sweetness of love, you are touching the essence of God! All the wonderfulness of "being in love" lets your heart know a little of what God is like!
The roller coaster of life on this earth teaches us about the Heart of God. Knowing what God thinks about a matter is certainly important, but knowing how God feels about it is an even deeper level of relationship. Set your mind today so that your life and everything you do will bring God joy and not pain!
"Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me and suffering for me. Help me today to bring You no more pain by the way I live! And may You be praised forever. Amen."
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