What is Love? Part 5
This past week I sat across from a couple who has been meeting with me for almost 1 full year. They desire to pursue marriage as God designed it to be lived but so often they struggle with the reality that selfishness can derail us, pulling us off the path God has called us to follow. Despite their constant battles with each other and their own selfish desires, they are both committed to being together. Thankfully they have both made the choice to love and aren’t deciding based on how they feel each day!
As we wrap up this 5 week series on the book of Hosea I want to look at the final description of love in our story.
Love is FAITHFUL (Hosea 3:3, 14:4-9)
As soon as Hosea bought Gomer back he restated his desire to remain faithful to her and he called on her to remain faithful to him. Someone who faithful loves does not seek fulfillment in anyone else or any other thing than the one they’ve committed too. Faithful love holds their end of the deal up even when the other person is not holding up their end. Faithful love is a rock solid conviction that my needs and wants do not trump the needs and wants of the one I love- even when it hurts and is hard!
The ultimate expression of faithful love is found in Jesus Christ. He chose us in God before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. He adopted us and brought us into His family. There is nothing we can do to be separated from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Our good shepherd does not lose any of His sheep and He promises to remain faithful to us even when we wander and stray, seeking satisfaction in the dark death of sin that surrounds us and draws us in.
The hymn writer was correct when the words “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love” were penned.
God’s faithful love for us, demonstrated by His forgiveness of our sins by a painful death on the cross, reminds us of His commitment to us, choosing to love those who turned their back on Him. What a loving and awesome God!
Questions to think about:
1) Over the past week, have I demonstrated faithful love to my spouse?
2) When I was last upset with my spouse for their actions, did I respond in love or selfishness?
3) In what ways can I see God’s faithful love poured out in my life?
4) What three things I have learned from this study in Hosea?
