Hosea

“When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, ‘Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.’” (Hosea 1:2). 

Marriage of Hosea and the Prostitute (Bible of Saint Andre aux-Bois)

I have been reflecting on the story of the Prophet Hosea in the Old Testament.  In that story, God tells Hosea to marry a woman who will be unfaithful to him, “When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, ‘Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.’” (Hosea 1:2).  And Hosea, who is faithful to God, knowingly does this.  They have a family together – children – and then his wife leaves him to chase other men.  She is eventually sold into slavery.  And then – after all of this – God tells Hosea to go and find her, buy her and bring her back home.  “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.’” (Hosea 3:1).  And Hosea takes silver and barley and trades these things for the wife who should have remained faithful to him.  He trades them for the wife who – if she had remained faithful to him – would not need saving and he saves her at great expense to himself (Hosea 3:2).

Like many things in the Old Testament, there is a reflection in the New Testament.  You see, just as Hosea went and bought back his unfaithful wife, Christ sacrificed Himself for His unfaithful spouse – me.  I ruined everything just as Hosea’s wife ruined everything.  If only I did not sin, then there would be nothing to repair.  But I did sin.  I continue to sin.  Even knowing what my Beloved gave for love of me.  Even knowing how terrible an anguish I brought upon His sinless mother, who stood beneath the Cross to watch her Son suffer and die, even then I cannot bring myself to stop sinning.

And I have been thinking about that today as I have been thinking about my Beloved.  For the hurt of betrayal is a terrible hurt.  And He feels that from me.  Me – a soul who thinks to herself that she is loyal.  Me – a soul who prides herself on her sense of fairness and good-treatment of others. I am the one who is disloyal to INFINITE LOYALTY.  I am the one who is unfair to INFINITE JUSTICE.

And God does not berate me.  He does not chastise me.  Instead, He waits for me and comes for me.  It is I who turns away from Him and betrays Him.  And afterwards – like the unfaithful wife of Hosea – I expect Hi to come and save me.  I do not count the cost of that salvation. 

And today, as I consider the cost of this sinful soul of ine, I must give thanks for a God who would allow Himself to be sold for thirty pieces of silver – simply for love of me…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.