“PERSONAL APPLICATION”
As I have been reading and studying the Book of Hosea, I could not imagine how hard it is for Hosea to live with his adulterous wife. An ordinary person like me would not be able to endure such situation. Hosea was such a blessed man whom God has given tolerance and passion to love Gomer in spite of who she is. And as I read and discover that the Israelites were like Hosea’s wife, I realize and could not imagine how painful for God to see His people turn away from Him, and still His love is unending and His mercy still surrounds them (Hosea 2).
Through reading and studying this book, I became like the Israelites before. And sometimes I unknowingly and oftentimes knowingly become unfaithful to God who loves me so much. I am not yet married or do adulterous things but through focusing my mind to other priorities in the world instead of prioritizing God, I understand now that I would also become so unfaithful to God. I sometimes trust and depend on men instead of God (Hosea 4-6). And there I experience the emptiness and consequences of being away from God, feeling that I am nothing with Him in my life.
But I thank God, His unconditional and undying love for me like His love to the Israelites is always there. The only thing that I need to do is to seek God’s face and ask forgiveness for my sins and unfaithfulness to Him. And there, His loving arms and merciful heart is always available, always waiting for me to come back to Him (Hosea 11-14).
But as His children, I should not abuse His love for me, like committing sin again and again, and then seek Him, and then sin again. I observe, many Christians are like that, they abuse God’s love and do transgressions like testing God’s forgiveness and love. Loving God should be continues. Like husband and wife vowing to each other to be faithful for better or for worse, till death do they part. God’s love to mankind and human’s love to God should be endless and pure.
Rushulo (Ashulo) Seb
