Object of Love_Hosea 11:8-11

In today's ODB devotional, it spoke about how God treasured Israel and how this great love of God now is showered on us, His beloved children through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus.  What struck me most is how God used Hosea, the prophet, to be an OBJECT LESSON to show us how beautiful His love truly is, and how OBEDIENT Hosea was.

"Hosea, a contemporary of prophets Isaiah and Micah, ministered primarily to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Hosea 1:1). His prophetic ministry was unique because he not only communicated in words what God wanted to tell the Israelites, but he symbolically acted out these revelations (chs. 1, 3). Hosea was commanded to marry Gomer, a promiscuous woman, to show that “like an adulterous wife [Israel] is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord” (1:2). After Gomer’s unfaithfulness, Hosea was commanded to reconcile with her and to “love her as the Lord loves the Israelites” (3:1)."

Lord Father, how great and beautiful is Your LOVE for me, drawing me close to You despite my unfaithfulness, my sin. You reconciled me to Yourself through Your Son, Jesus, my Saviour, and forever I am within Your arms, here in this life and for all eternity.  As it is said in 8:39, "Nothing will be able to separate us (me) from the love of God." Thank you, Father!