“Go and marry a prostitute,…”
It was right there in Hosea. That’s right sports fans God is speaking to the preacher! I have read it a lot and yet again I was hooked. Chapter 1… I am not the first to discover that phrase. I join a lot of people who found that shocking. Hosea, prophet of God, was told by God to go marry a prostitute. I am Baptist enough to know that ain’t right! But what I have discovered was that my idea of a prostitute is way too narrow. I only thought of a cheap street walking tramp.
Israel is being a harlot. The love of the Lord’s life is living a harlot’s life. They have the best Husband and yet are following after so many other gods…other lovers in their lives.
I was thinking that you are either in love with Jesus and have Him as the ONE love of your life, or you are living the life of a harlot. It is so easy to have more than one lover. Cheap or refined you are still a harlot. You can be a cheesy trashy prostitute or you can be a well dressed Bible Toting Baptist prostitute. Either way if you have more than one lover.
I don’t want to jump on Hosea’s back or to knock this scripture, but I have seen it happen over and over in this world. I remember specifically talking to young ladies who fall in love with this good looking stud kind of young man who comes from a well to do family. The whole crowd is very refined. He is able to buy a house and has the promise of a great job with a solid education. His prospects are good. He has all it takes, but he is LOST spiritually. The young lady is “committed to Jesus” but is in LOVE with this young man. She joins herself with a harlot. They get married and she is frustrated later because he does not share the same values in life.
God tells Hosea that living with a prostitute is tough. Before you preach to them let me show you what it is like.
I wish I could say this morning that my life was not litered with other loves. Power, prestigue, position, possessions, have their hooks on all of us at some level.
The Lover of my life called to me this morning, told me He loved me and calls me home again to the one place where real peace and life can be found.
