Loving An Adulteress
by Tyler Zach
“Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is…an adulteress. Love her as I love the Israelites.” The book of Hosea contains this startling quote from God.
If I were Hosea I would have probably given a little “lip” back to God. Why in the world, if my wife cheated on me, would I take her back? Most divorces now days, and there are many (around 50% of marriages end in divorce) are caused over “unfixable differences” or a “falling out of love”. So, I would think that a wife cheating on her husband or vice versa would be a great reason for a divorce.
But God seems to refute this idea when He says, “Love her as I love the Israelites.”
Background information on the Israelites during that period of history: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery (4:2).”
And God wants to take them back? That is incredible. That is love that only God could generate. And it is the love that He is commanding us to have for our family members (wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, mother-in-laws, father-in-laws, etc.). Has any of your loved ones disappointed you lately? Whether they have lied to you, cheated on you, or have taken you for granted, God reminds us that love is not a feeling, but a choice.
“God isn’t interested in fleeting emotions we may feel toward Him. He wants complete commitment. There’s a vast difference between the “I love you’s” exchanged in the backseat of a car, and the “I do’s” shared at a wedding!” – Lawrence Richards
Since God has CHOSEN to love us - no matter how often we fall away from Him and disappoint Him - we must CHOOSE to love others in the same way.
The next time You are disappointed by a loved one, remember that God feels the same way when You do the same to Him - day after day. But, since love is a choice, He continues to love you anyway. Isn't that crazy?
This is why I have chosen not to tell my girlfriend "I love you" until we are ready for marriage. I want her to know that when I do tell her those three words - that she will not only have my emotions, but my committment to love her forever no matter what. Divorce will not be an option.
“Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is…an adulteress. Love her as I love the Israelites.” The book of Hosea contains this startling quote from God.
If I were Hosea I would have probably given a little “lip” back to God. Why in the world, if my wife cheated on me, would I take her back? Most divorces now days, and there are many (around 50% of marriages end in divorce) are caused over “unfixable differences” or a “falling out of love”. So, I would think that a wife cheating on her husband or vice versa would be a great reason for a divorce.
But God seems to refute this idea when He says, “Love her as I love the Israelites.”
Background information on the Israelites during that period of history: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery (4:2).”
And God wants to take them back? That is incredible. That is love that only God could generate. And it is the love that He is commanding us to have for our family members (wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, mother-in-laws, father-in-laws, etc.). Has any of your loved ones disappointed you lately? Whether they have lied to you, cheated on you, or have taken you for granted, God reminds us that love is not a feeling, but a choice.
“God isn’t interested in fleeting emotions we may feel toward Him. He wants complete commitment. There’s a vast difference between the “I love you’s” exchanged in the backseat of a car, and the “I do’s” shared at a wedding!” – Lawrence Richards
Since God has CHOSEN to love us - no matter how often we fall away from Him and disappoint Him - we must CHOOSE to love others in the same way.
The next time You are disappointed by a loved one, remember that God feels the same way when You do the same to Him - day after day. But, since love is a choice, He continues to love you anyway. Isn't that crazy?
This is why I have chosen not to tell my girlfriend "I love you" until we are ready for marriage. I want her to know that when I do tell her those three words - that she will not only have my emotions, but my committment to love her forever no matter what. Divorce will not be an option.
posted by Tyler Zach at 9:36 AM
1 Comments:
Ahhhh, very nice. The last paragraph (you know the one that mentioned your girlfriend)got me the most. Thank you for waiting to say that when we are both ready. No matter how much I tease you, I do appreciate it. -GF
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