It kept coming up the depravity of man and the destruction of sin, so I decided that I'd take a deeper look into my own condition. Its not exactly the means to encouragement, but needed to see the greatness of our Christ. Little sin provides a little savior, great sin demands a great savior. I want to see Him as great, thus I must look at myself as I really am.
So I've turned to Hosea. I'll spare you, but I could write for hours on the book of Hosea. The bottom line is its a story of faithfulness in the midst of unfaithfulness. Those are kind words for the book of Hosea. Really, its about a whore who is beyond destruction, too great for repair or redemption in all everyone's eyes. A whore who knows she is a whore and yet runs to the lover that leaves her wanting more. Thats Gomer, thats Israel, thats me.
Its easy to read through Hosea and think that we are better off than that which Hosea speaks of. I read with these thoughts in the back of my mind, "thats not me. I don't do THOSE things." But I do really. The things I run to are no better than whoredom, no worse either. Sin is sin and we are all whores. (Aren't you glad you are reading this!)
But in the midst of our disgust, God is there. The fact that He is there is pretty great in and of itself. Add his extreme faithfulness and compassion. He keeps saying 'come back. stop running to those lovers and come to your first husband--you're first love.' God's passion for Israel and Hosea's desire for Gomer just shake me up. Love that is that great, wow. Love that says I won't leave even if you do, and if you do, I'm coming after you. Love that gave up everything so I would have love. Thats eternal love.
Back to my 24 hours...I'm reading through Hosea and even discussing it with a student. I left my house this afternoon to meet a student on campus--Jenn (from china). We get to talking and she says this--talk about shaking me! Everything I run to is limited. God offers something that is limitless, without measure.
Jenn and I have been talking about who Jesus is and what He did for us. Last week I asked her to begin reading the book of John. What she discovered was foundational truth. Every 'lover' we run to...call if what you want...lover, distraction, idol, thing...we run to, lets us down. It has an end and we are no longer satisfied. But through Christ, we have no limit on God. He will not forsake us or leave us, He will always be there.
Jenn and I kept talking about this. We discussed what it was like for God to offer that to us when nothing else can. We looked at several passages in the Bible and talked for nearly 2 hours. During that time, she told me she knew she believed it. It was Gods faithfulness that struck her. He is without measure unlike all else. She placed her faith in Jesus and I'm excited to have a new sister in Christ!
It was pretty awesome how all in the same day how I was wrestling with all that lets down and is a disappointment is the same reason that moves Jenn to the cross. Eventually, you get tired of being a whore and its no longer great or what you expected. There comes a time when whoredom is not matched by righteousness in Christ. Its a beautiful love story really. Its our love story.
One of the first things I remember hearing at a Crusade meeting my freshman year was "we are far worse off than we ever imagined but we are far more loved that we ever dare dreamed, all at the same time." Thats where I rest. It is my love story.
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