Love story

 



I told my seminary students that today we would be reading the greatest love story ever.


We turned to Hosea and read of the good man he was and that he married Gomer and had a child.


But then she was unfaithful and had two children that he hadn't fathered.  


She had traded her body for worldly goods.


She eventually ends up in prison.  


I asked them what they would have done in that situation.


Divorce.  Fight back.  Ignore her and leave her in prison. Maybe it would depend on the situation. 


Then we read of Hosea paying her fines and for her freedom and adopting her children.  He loves her deeply.


They decided that was nice,  but didn't feel realistic.


Then I shared that it was a parable.


That Christ is the husband and we are the wife.  


And they understood.  


We break our covenants, we get ourselves imprisoned when we focus on the wrong things. We covet, we let Him down, we mess up.  


And still our Savior steps in.  He paid the debt, and nothing can change that love He has for us.  


It is never too late.  


Because we are the children of God.  


His work and his glory.


Of infinite worth.


And He gave his only begotten son for you and for me, knowing we wouldn't get it all right. 


And asking only  that we obey his commandments in return. 


It truly is the greatest love story of all. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Never Fall Away

Image
  In Alma chapter 23, the sons of Mosiah preached to the Lamanites. The law was declared that the word of God could not be obstructed. Note that the law did NOT say that everyone had to embrace and follow it, but their synagogues and temples and homes should be open to them. And then in verse six, something stuck out to me. Something that applies to our day. “They were converted unto the Lord and never did fall away.” NEVER DID FALL AWAY?? That sounds  like an important need in our day.   My immediate question was HOW?  So I read more closely. Verse 7: “For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.”  They became a righteous people. They did lay down the weapons of their rebellion. They did not fight against God. They did not fight against their brethren. So what does that mean for us?  BECOME a righteous people.  Be willi
Read more

Trust

Image
  As I was riding a bike down the former train route along the Idaho-Montana border, I had hours to quietly reflect and appreciate the lush mountain landscape extending around me as far as I could see.   I was in a prayerful state, open to the promptings of the Spirit.   At one point I came to the edge of a meadow and needed to sit and rest for a bit.   There I found a lovely rustic bench made from a tree right there in the forest.  And it occurred to me how often the things we need are right there in our lives around us. The people, the resources, our talents and gifts. Psalm 34:8 lovingly promises “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him”. He will provide.   And as we learn to recognize that help, we will become more grateful and happy. 
Read more

Seeing

Image
  Even after a full semester, the young 7th grader, who I will call Anna, didn’t seem to have any friends. She said didn’t mind and felt anxious around people.   I rotated her through groups and she would participate as directed but rarely smiled, although she didn’t seem particularly sad or distraught either.   More of an acceptance that this was her life. She didn’t ever talk back or ask questions but she also didn’t complete assignments quite right.  Her other teachers also said that she didn’t follow directions well.   I was patient.  Building trust.  With her and within our classroom.  This had to be a safe place to share the hard parts. And two months ago she finally told me.  She couldn’t see the board.   As in she couldn’t read it without getting within 6 inches of the board! I immediately emailed our school nurse who gave her a screening.  When I asked Anna she said that the test was fine. But the troubles persisted and finally I reached out to her mom and expla
Read more