Hosea 3 - 10.27.2023

Scripture - Pick one verse that stood out to you.

Hosea 3:1

The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”

Observation - What about this verse stands out to you?

This morning as I read Hosea 3:1 I almost inwardly groaned. That is such a tough pill to swallow. And then as I read the second half of the first verse I felt like the Lord lifted that burden from me.I was forced to look for what sacred raisin cakes were and after some very cursory internet research the majority of what I read appeared to point to them being an aphrodisiac.

So to paraphrase, the Lord was telling Hosea to go show love to Homer again (this wasn’t the first time!), who was loved by another man, and who was an adulterer. And to love her as the Lord loves the Israelites (which I have always felt was a weird proxy for humanity but I could be wrong) though they worship idols and love aphrodisiacs.

Application - How will you apply this to your life?

For my application this morning, I feel compelled to repent. Forgive me Lord for sinning against you. I’m not sure I turned towards other gods but I haven’t walked towards you as often as I ought to have. 

I am reminded this morning of my Dad’s advice to me whenever I would get so upset with my brother when we were younger. He would look at me with consternation and with this strained, pleading, yet totally authoritative Dad voice tell me, “Open your heart son.”

Prayer - Write out a prayer.

Help me to open my heart this morning, Lord. Towards, my family, my friends, yikes even my co-workers. Help me to become a man of love like you. A love that is deep and wide, a love that covers the most heinous of wrongs. A love that gave us everything including the life of Your one and only Son, so that we may have the opportunity to be with You. In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.

-kenneth lee