Hosea is a story of a broken heart. God’s people, whom he loves with an undying love, have abandoned him for other lovers. They did not appreciate the depth of His love for them. They did not return His love for them. They wanted the pleasure & excitement of playing the field instead of the blessings of a wholesome and honest monogamous relationship. With Hosea’s life, God held up a mirror in which His people could see and appreciate what they’ve done to Him. Hosea 1:2 says, (ChuckLarsenVerson) God told Hosea, “Your wife will never be faithful to you. She will conceive and bear children from other men, but not for you. Her promiscuity will make you a laughing stock to the world.  But more importantly, because of your deep love for her, her affairs will break your heart. This will illustrate how my people have treated me.”

God’s deep love for His people is the central theme of Hosea! But our hard heartedness blocks the flow of God’s love. We yearn for the “strange fire” of the gods of the people in the land. We see the idols of possessions, pleasure and prestige and follow after them. We yearn for (maybe just secretly) the “strange flesh” of other lovers, just as Gomer (Hosea’s wife) did.  To live like this we must block out God’s great love for us.

Jesus came to break through the hardheartedness of man. God so loved us that He sent His only son to die for us. I was holding my baby grandson the other night. It struck me that God, in the very person of His son, took on the form of a baby. But, he took that form for a purpose. The soft little hands were to have nails driven through them. The chubby little feet would be nailed to the cross. And his beautiful little head would have a crown of thorns mashed down on it. His little body, in his “Gramma is out of this world” jump suit would be pierced by a soldiers spear. Water and blood would flow from his side, the symbol of a broken heart.

My sins broke God’s heart, may his death on the cross, soften mine!

Chuck

“God’s Heart was filled with pain.” Genesis 6:6