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The girl on the cover is you. The call to our hearts in our study of Hosea is to identify ourselves with Gomer, the wife of whoredom – an unlikely bride. For some of us, thinking this way may be difficult. I like to think of myself as a good girl. Perhaps this is because of my story. Professing my faith in Christ on my 7th birthday at vacation Bible school (48 years ago), I knew Jesus loved me and I wanted to follow Him. Years later, my testimony is I don’t remember a day I didn’t know and love Jesus. My story is He rescued me. The reality is I was undeserving and not bride material. As I have grown in grace, I have learned more and more about my wavering, unfaithful heart. “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above.”
Like Gomer, you and I were chosen in love, in Christ, before the creation of the world. The Lord came to us making us His own, fully aware of what it would cost Him and knowing we would break His heart. He is committed to having every piece of our hearts and calling us to live with Him as His own. Being loved this way undoes us. It unfastens us from our love affair with this world and the things that capture our hearts more than Him. Praying our journey through Hosea does just that. May the Lord use this study to prepare us for our Groom’s return.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give Him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His Bride has made herself ready.
Revelation 19:7
The Lord bless you,
Paula
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