Would You Care to Read a Love Story?
A story of betrayal, adultery, sorrow, forgiveness, and renewal.
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3, NIV)
I have a question. Can you be angry and love someone at the same time? It doesn’t take but a second to answer, “Yes!”
To a small degree, this fact helps us understand God’s love, especially demonstrated in some Old Testament stories where He looks like a wrathful, vengeful God. This same angry God is full of love, as shown in the pages of the Old Testament.
Here is a story to show God’s long-suffering love.
The story is of a man named Hosea, who God tells to marry a prostitute named Gomer. Gomer would eventually leave Hosea to go back into prostitution and get pregnant by another man. God told Hosea that he must bring her back to himself. It is a portrait painting of how God would redeem Israel.
The year was approximately 753 B.C. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had turned their hearts away from God and were worshipping idols. Although angry at their actions, God still deeply loved his people.
Hosea chapter one: God tells the people that He will no longer show love or forgive Israel but will instead show love to Judah. He did not tell them, “I do not love you.” He said, “I will not show love.” There is a big difference.
Hosea chapter two: God tells of His love for His unfaithful people and wants to redeem them. He is offering them something if they will only listen.
Hosea chapter three: Hosea has to bring his adulteress wife back to himself. He redeems her, showing how God will redeem Israel.
Hosea chapters four through ten: These chapters tell of Israel’s wickedness and their punishment if they do not change. It shows a God of justice but offers a God of great mercy and love. God is pleading with his people, just like a husband or wife may plead with their unfaithful spouse, to return.
Hosea chapter eleven: God’s words are very sorrowful. He says, “How can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go?” He yearned for their love.
Hosea chapter fourteen: The last chapter is God’s message of a promise to heal them if they repent. God’s love has no bounds, and His anger would be gone forever if they only turned back to Him.
God loves us today, even when we choose not to follow Him. He is still calling to us, just as He did through His prophet Hosea, to Israel so many years ago.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9, NIV)
God desires a relationship with you. It’s the same thing God asked of His people many centuries ago. The scripture in Jeremiah 31:3 was a message to the Israelite children, but it could be a love letter to you. His love for you has no boundaries.
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10, NIV)
How did God show His love to you? Look at 1 John 4:9–10.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (I John 4:9–10, NIV)
We would be wise to listen to the words of Hosea.
Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall. (Hosea 14:9, NLT)
If we don’t want to stumble and fall away and if we want to be on the correct path, a path of truth and light, we need to come into a relationship with Christ, casting all our cares on Him.
Does God get angry with us?
I’m sure He does, but we also get angry with Him. Ultimately, we will find no other safe haven full of His boundless love than there with Christ. He accepts us and even our anger but loves us immensely and unconditionally.
