I will show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to those I called ‘Not my people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’ And they will reply, ‘You are our God!'” Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.” So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine. Hos. 2:23-3:2 (NLT)
Dear heavenly Father, this is our story; this is our song. We’re (I’m) the ones who had no claim on your love or place in your family, until you gave us both in copious amounts. Your love is far better than unconditional (overlooking my sin); it’s contra-conditional (seeing my sin in all its fullness and ugliness, and generously meeting the conditions to love someone like me).
All of us are guilty of adultery (including me), because all of us have turned to other gods and other lovers—not just in times past, but even now our (my) hearts are prone to wander. Forgive me, Father, when I think of my sin as monochromatic, in a world of Technicolor sinners; vanilla and bland, when compared to the spiciness and dicey-ness of other people’s failings; less worthy of your judgment and less needful of Jesus’ work.
Father, thank you for buying me back—for redeeming my life from sin and death; from un-righteousness and self-righteousness; from acknowledged guilt and un-owned pride; from hopelessness and arrogance; self-loathing and self-worship; from a deserved hell and a presumed heaven. And the cost wasn’t silver, barley, and wine; but the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
My hope is built on nothing less, nothing, more, and nothing other, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. You now love me as much as you love Jesus only because you loved me enough to give me Jesus. So very Amen I pray… with worship, love and awe, in Jesus’ name.
