One of my favorite stories in the Bible is a story of love. Most of the time when you refer to a love story in the Bible you automatically think of Jacob and Rachel. Yeah, that was love....working for 14 years to marry someone. I think of love in a totally different way though. Before marriage it's easy to be caught up in a fantasy of feelings and so maybe it wasn't so hard for Jacob to work 14 years to marry Rachel.
The story of Hosea and Gomer is a real picture of love to me. After marrying Hosea and bearing his children, Gomer decides to return to her old life. For those unfamiliar with the story, Gomer was a prositute.
I can't imagine the hurt and disappointment Hosea must have felt. I'm also sure that it wasn't an easy choice to make, but in the ultimate act of love, Hosea bought his wife back. He showed her that his commitment to her was sound.
I love the parallel of this story to the story of our own lives and the love that Jesus extends to us. Even when we're tempted, and sometimes actually return to sinful lifestyles, he still loves us. He has bought us....paid a price. We are His. He is committed to us even when we aren't committed to Him. Even when we want to turn our back and run the other way.
It's hard to resist someone who shows unconditional love in it's purest form to us. We may resist at first, but there's something about that love that we can't keep ignoring. I'm so grateful for that love that He continues to extend to me without change, even when I'm not as faithful as I need to be.
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