A harlot

Wanna read a good story that you probably don’t read all that often?  Read Hosea.
Here it is in a wrap.

Hosea is a prophet.
He is commanded to marry Gomer.
Gomer is a harlot.
They have children.  Their names respectively mean: “sow or gather  spread, scatter,” “no mercy,” and “not my people.”
Gomer says – I will return to my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
Say what?  Your lovers will give you bread? And water?  Bread – symbolic of the Bread of Life? of Jesus Christ?  Your lovers can give you that?
Gomer breaks her covenant and goes to her former lovers. Can I just say how when I read this – it hurt. I was legitimately so angry with Gomer.  Hosea married you when you were a harlot.  And you leave him for your former lovers who you think can give you bread?
But Hosea doesn’t give up on her.
Hosea lets her go for a season.
Then he goes after her.
He “allures” her into the wilderness and “speaks comfortably” to her.
He cleans her up.
“And I will give her her vineyards from thence, ad the valley of Achor for a door of hope, and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

At first I thought Hosea was crazy.  How could he let her come back?
And then, as my New Testament teacher so tenderly pointed out, I realized….

This is my story.  This is an object lesson for the Savior and me. Sometimes, I go to other places for my flax and wool.  It can be hard.  I learn from my trials.  But Christ comes back for me and he forgives me.

I know that I’m not perfect, that I sometimes get wrapped up in things that I shouldn’t get wrapped up in. I forget Him. But, I want so desperately to follow my Savior.  He comes back for me.  He is waiting for me, with open arms. He is my Savior.  I am nothing without Him.  And He loves me.

Following Him is more than just believing in Him and then going and doing whatever I want.  Gomer just went back to her lovers, and yeah, she messed up and came back.

But what does coming back consist of? (click on the link…)

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
Repentance
Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins
Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost
Enduring to the end living a continuous Christian lifestyle.

I am so grateful for my Savior.
(I can’t wait to share His gospel for 18 months!)