God Loves the Unlovely
Hosea 1:2-9; 3:1-5
Why is God showing you this lesson now?
Recently, our denominational leaders encouraged SBC churches to observe a day of solemn assembly for the purpose of examining our hearts before God and repenting of sin. Why? One reason is because of the high value God places on relationship.
The fact that God created us in order to have fellowship with us, coupled with the fact that He sent His only Son Jesus to earth to restore that fellowship after it was broken, tells you something of the priority God places on relationship. God confronts us about our sin because He loves us so much and does not want our unfaithfulness to hinder our relationship to Him.
Even today, both God’s people and lost people have difficulty seeing sin in the same way God views sin.
To dramatize the spiritual promiscuity of His people (Hosea 1:2-3), God called Hosea to marry a promiscuous woman. Hosea 3:1-5 emphasizes that God would graciously restore the people of Israel to Himself, but He rightly demanded faithfulness. Hosea’s actions foreshadowed Jesus’ paying the purchase price for our sins.
How does this lesson connect to what God is doing in and around you?
Just because you are reading this lesson in a Southern Baptist publication does not mean that I can assume that you have personally met the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have not trusted Christ Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit of God may be prompting you to do so at this very moment.
The Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). God wants to have a personal relationship with you, and He gave His Son to make that possible.
This lesson speaks to the subject of faithfulness. Christians need to ask, “Have I cheated on God? If so, how?” Churches need to ask, “Are we a faithful church or an unfaithful one?” Perhaps the Vinedresser is disciplining or pruning you or your church at this time. If so, understand that this is an act of love. God wants you to earnestly seek Him rather than relying on your own understanding.
True revival can still happen if we will humble ourselves.
Rick Astle– Lessons by Rick Astle, director of missions for Waccamaw Baptist Association. Astle is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and Southern Seminary. He is the author of two books and lives in Conway.