Hosea and Gomer
Open Your Bible
Hosea 1:2-11, Hosea 2:1, Hosea 2:5-23, Hosea 3:1-5, Psalm 144:2
BY Claire Gibson
I am currently in a group text with some women who are trying (and failing) to help our friend name her fourth baby. The child is a boy, and while the list of possible names keeps growing longer—(Theo… Patrick… What about Finn?)—the reasons why she can’t choose those names keep coming too. (I like it but my neighbor used it… I don’t want him to be called “Pat”… It just doesn’t “feel right,” you know?)
I don’t blame her for taking her time. Choosing a name for another human being is a sacred task and shouldn’t be taken lightly. We know this because throughout Scripture, God changes the names of His people to reflect His love and call on their lives. He gave Simon a new name, “Peter.” From that point forward, every time someone spoke his new name, Peter had the opportunity to remember that though his faith was at times shaky, Jesus had called him “the rock” on which His church would be built (Matthew 16:18).
In today’s reading, God’s tells a man named Hosea to go and marry a promiscuous woman. The call on Hosea’s life is to offer the same compassion, acceptance, and love to an undeserving woman that God has offered to His people. He chooses Gomer, and begins to create a life with her and have children with her. It’s a hard assignment, one that leaves Hosea and his children ostracized and exposed. The children are given cursed names, such as “No Compassion” and “Not My People.”
Can you imagine? Everywhere these children went, they would have been reminded of their family shame and their mother’s sin. But our generous God is in the name-changing business because He is also in the life-changing business. In His economy, those who were called “not my people” can now be called “children of God.” He is the God who turns our curses into blessings.
What name do you call yourself today? Here are a few of the names I call myself: “Not Successful” and “Not Capable,” “Excluded” and “Unwanted.” But God, through the work of Jesus Christ, invites me to shed the curse of those names and embrace the truth of His love and acceptance. My identity is now shaped by His love for me. I am His, and He calls me His “daughter.”
24 thoughts on "Hosea and Gomer"
-
My daughter suffers with mental health issues but does not really embrace her identity in Christ. I am heartbroken for her but can’t walk her journey for her either. Praying she would call herself what God calls her. I was reminded yesterday that the Psalter was Jesus’ prayer book too as he lived among us. And so … I can pray the psalms over her, over myself … as Jesus did. Cool.
-
LKM, as someone who suffers from mental health struggles, I can relate to your daughter. My anxiety makes it so there are times that I can’t even trust myself, let alone God. But God is so gracious with me and wants me anyway, even when I turn away from him like a promiscuous woman.
All you can do is remind her that you love her and think of her as the Prodigal Son. It may not happen for a long time, but hopefully she will come back to God, who will welcome her with open arms.
-
-
Hosea is a beautiful parallel of redemption and restoration. God’s love is perfect and He is always drawing us into an intimate relationship with Him. God is faithful and absolutely nothing can quench His love for us. As Hosea purchased Gomer’s freedom, so extremely thankful that Jesus bought our freedom, redeeming us through the cross. Praise be to God!
-
Today, I choose to remember my true names: “Beloved,” “More than enough,” “Daughter of the King.”
-
Amen!!
-
-
I am the Lord’s.
He knows my name.
Praise His name, forever. -
Yesterday for the Elijah study I made a really cool timeline on my computer, however, when I went back to reread this morning I see that it didn’t come out the same way when the SRT program printed it. All the words were jumbled. This is what it was supposed to say…in not as cool a way but, comprehendible:
Elijah is hiding. There has been no rain. Ahab & Jezebel are hostile.
Elijah challenges prophets of Baal to a duel of sacrifices… Baal is shot down, God reigns supreme.
The time has come. Elijah, (with his assistant) prays and asks God for rain. 7 times the assistant checks before he sees a cloud the size of Elijah’s hand.
Elijah sends word to Ahab that a storm is coming and then outruns Ahab’s chariot to JezreelI am sorry for all the garble.
Tricia, thank you for your words of comfort and understanding. Kind words are like water to a parched soul. You are one of the SRT people I pray for often. Your health continues to be placed before the Lord.
-
There was a time when I called myself “Invisible.” Then I met El Roi, the God who sees.
There was a time I walked in the “wilderness.” He “spoke tenderly” to me and led me to “the gateway of hope.”
God drew me to Himself. I yielded my past, present and future. I gave Him permission to be Lord of my life. He is trustworthy. From that time forward, only God has had my permission to name me. He calls me His daughter, His friend, His Beloved.
Call me what you will. He calls me His own. There is no better name.
-
Beautifully said, churchmouse. Amen.
-
-
This has nothing to do with the reading today, but is anyone else having issues with the app crashing when opening the Bible section? I’ve been having this issue for a few days now and it doesn’t seem to be fixed yet.
-
I’m not having that issue, but I would contact the She Reads Truth people.
-
-
Hosea married an adulterous woman that parallels us, adulterous people. Thank God for His compassion and that love for us. As Claire said, we are His daughters. My pastor’s wife gave an illustration about a king’s daughter in prison. That king would do everything in his power to rescue her. We are The True King’s daughters. The prison doors are open. She asked why we would choose to stay in the cage/prison? I get stuck and forget that I am free because of Jesus! The Holy Spirit lives in us and gives us power! May we walk in it more and more each day and lead others to Him!
Post Comments (24)