Who actually reads the book of Hosea?

I was reading the book of Hosea recently.

I know.  It either sounds completely ridiculous or extremely intellectual because, either I'm completely nuts for reading the Old Testament or maybe I appear thoughtful because who actually reads the Old Testament?

I mean, seriously.  Lets be honest.  I've grown up in a Christian home and have been going to church since I was this wee little kid making Bible stories on flannel boards - does anyone even remember what a flannel board is? - and most sermons revolve around the more "recent" texts of Matthew, Romans, and 1st & 2nd Peter (which by the way are totally great and books of the Bible that should be read as well!).  And, I don't recall ever hearing a sermon on the book of Hosea!

So, who actually reads the book of Hosea?

Well, me.  And hopefully after this, someone will be inspired to read it as well.

The book of Hosea is about this guy, Hosea (I know, original), who is commanded by the Lord to go and marry a prostitute AND HE LISTENS.  If we're being totally real right now, no one in their right mind is going to marry someone they know ahead of time is going to run around on them like that!!!  Hosea has to be shaking his head at that moment! Like, really Lord, I've done all that you've asked and my reward is to marry and live the rest of my life with a girl who doesn't love me back and is going to continuously be unfaithful to me.

But Hosea has so much more faith in God - he marries this girl and continues to show love throughout this marriage to Gomer (his wife) even though she continues to cheat on him and sell herself to other men.  It gets to the point that one day, Hosea has to go to the market place and BUY HIS OWN WIFE BACK FROM OTHER MEN!

I'm, like, appalled at this point of reading this - how could Gomer continue to leave Hosea when all he does is relentlessly showing her kindness and loving her (Hosea 3)?! I'm so angry that Gomer keeps falling back into her sin pattern ... until it hit me that I'm doing the same thing.

No, I'm not selling myself the way that Gomer did but I have my own sin patterns that I fall back in.  So here I am, running around in my small world, making life about me, making the most ridiculous mistakes, not spending time with God, getting angry quickly with my family and friends, not having grace and love toward the jack-wagon that cut me off while driving in downtown Minneapolis yesterday ... and I forget that the God of the Universe relentlessly loves and pursues me every single day.

THAT is the ultimate love story!  That when I fail at giving faith, trust, and love to my relationship with Christ that he will stay faithful, trusting, and loving towards me.  Just as Gomer returned to Hosea, just as the Israelites returned to the Lord, we can return back to the God who created us in His image and loves us ever so dearly.

So who reads the book of Hosea?  Me. And you.  This is our love story because of God.



(Hosea 1 - 3)

-Courage, dear heart. C.S. Lewis

Lexi