Hosea 3-6

Before reading this book, I've thought that adultery could be the one divorce-worthy offense by a married person. Not that adultery would merit a divorce, but that I could understand why the offended party was unwilling to trust their partner to the extent that is needed within a marriage. Well, that thought kinda goes out the window in Hosea 3. "Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans"-Hosea 3:1.
This spoke to me about the choice that we make to love another person. God commanded Hosea to buy back his wife, like a slave, and to take her back into his house. What a picture: God's bride has cheated on Him and has been living with another as a harlot. He now has to be humiliated by buying his bride back and committing to reconcile. Talk about swallowing some pride. As God laid down the blueprint for reconciliation, it is definitely our responsibility to forgive and allow God to do the real restoration.

We've all fallen, and I think reading Hosea 6:1-3 is awesome. Not only does the Lord promise to revive us, but he does so in a short time period because he's eager to restore His relationship with His children. You know when you sin, it's almost like that feeling of 'I'm further away from God'...and that's true. Fortunately (and unfortunately) for us, He didn't move- we did! If we feel further from Him, it's up to us to recognize our iniquity, repent, and God is quick to restore us. Nobody should feel condemnation...our God, through Hosea 6:3, shows us that "He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth." According to Nelson's, the latter rains of Israel came in the spring and caused the plants to grow. The former rains came in the autumn and softened the ground for plowing and sowing. If that isn't all-encompassing, I don't know what is. Watering our spiritual lives and bringing them to harvest...