Prophet or Prostitute?
A Prophet and a Prostitute: As beautiful and compelling as the story of Hosea is, so powerful that it has inspired books and movies, relating to those two livelihoods has been a challenge for me. Still, the theme of God’s redeeming love resonates deeply. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (a must-read, by the way) paints this picture powerfully. And when I look through Scripture, I see the same pattern repeated over and over: God’s people turning away, disobeying, and then returning to Him. Each time, He receives and redeems them.
I have absolutely acknowledged my sin, accepted Jesus, and do my very best to walk with the Spirit. But this time reading Hosea, I really felt convicted for the judgment I’ve placed on this woman that Hosea is called to marry. Truthfully, I've judged Hosea as well. Because let me tell you, if a loved one heard from God what Hosea did, I would throw every counselor, wisdom nugget, and question at them.
On top of that, I had a few questions drop in from the Holy Spirit:
Why do I think I’m any better than the prostitute?
Did Jesus pay more blood for me than her?
Do we think Jesus allotted certain amounts of His blood for certain groups of people?
Or was it just so bad that God turned His back on at the sight of Jesus‘s blood?
Why do I think she was more in dire need of saving than me and my mediocre sins?
Or what if it’s not about the level of sin, like the class of people, that we assume that it is?
All of these questions individually did a number on me. In the world I live, and the perspective I carry, Hosea hits a deep thread of prejudice, judgment, stereotyping, and assumption. From the lens through which I view life, I have found a lot of my opinions to be sanctimonious.
So how do we live in the space of acknowledging we are dirtbags yet also redeemed? How do we walk in His confidence, not our own self-righteousness?
Maybe Jesus‘ goal wasn’t so I would look at myself, scandalized and comparable to a prostitute. Maybe it was to see He was proud of His children, no matter what or where they find themselves. Jesus‘ blood was and is the great equalizer, not just for child-to-child comparisons like we relate to but to the versions and parts of ourselves that we assume He can’t see or would be ashamed of.
His blood and death paid for the best and worst parts of who we are, as the whole, not only the parts we choose to be purchased.
What if we allowed His atoning blood to do more than just save our souls? What if we let it work in its fullness, as a healing balm straight from Heaven, seeping into the broken and hidden places only we know exist? What if His blood could mend, heal, and restore those unsteady, unstable parts of us, transforming them into solid ground?
Maybe those places weren’t failures after all, but simply growing pains, foundations being laid for something new. Growing in Him. Growing in us. Broken places made whole so they can be made new and beautiful. Something so sturdy it can be launched from, not just merely visited as a memory or a landmark.
At the end of Hosea, we find what healing and wholeness looks like. Chapter 14:4-7 “I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for my anger will have turned from him. I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. His new branches will spread, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance, like the forest of Lebanon. The people will return and live beneath His shade. They will grow grain and blossom like a vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.” Verse 8 “Your fruit comes from Me.”
These promises held true for Hosea because he continued to love in an impossible situation just as God loves and restores to Himself, based on His love for us, not on our merit. God doesn’t redeem us in pieces. He redeems the whole story, the whole person, and calls it beautiful because of His love, not our worthiness.
Prayer: Father, Thank You for loving us in full, not just the cleaned-up parts, but the messy, hidden, and wounded places too. Help us to lay down our pride, our judgment, and our assumptions, and receive Your redeeming love as freely as You give it. Teach us to see ourselves and others through the lens of grace, not comparison. Let Your blood continue to work in us: to heal, to restore, and to make new. Make us sturdy in You, rooted in Your love, and confident in the truth that we are fully known and still fully Yours. Amen.
I have absolutely acknowledged my sin, accepted Jesus, and do my very best to walk with the Spirit. But this time reading Hosea, I really felt convicted for the judgment I’ve placed on this woman that Hosea is called to marry. Truthfully, I've judged Hosea as well. Because let me tell you, if a loved one heard from God what Hosea did, I would throw every counselor, wisdom nugget, and question at them.
On top of that, I had a few questions drop in from the Holy Spirit:
Why do I think I’m any better than the prostitute?
Did Jesus pay more blood for me than her?
Do we think Jesus allotted certain amounts of His blood for certain groups of people?
Or was it just so bad that God turned His back on at the sight of Jesus‘s blood?
Why do I think she was more in dire need of saving than me and my mediocre sins?
Or what if it’s not about the level of sin, like the class of people, that we assume that it is?
All of these questions individually did a number on me. In the world I live, and the perspective I carry, Hosea hits a deep thread of prejudice, judgment, stereotyping, and assumption. From the lens through which I view life, I have found a lot of my opinions to be sanctimonious.
So how do we live in the space of acknowledging we are dirtbags yet also redeemed? How do we walk in His confidence, not our own self-righteousness?
Maybe Jesus‘ goal wasn’t so I would look at myself, scandalized and comparable to a prostitute. Maybe it was to see He was proud of His children, no matter what or where they find themselves. Jesus‘ blood was and is the great equalizer, not just for child-to-child comparisons like we relate to but to the versions and parts of ourselves that we assume He can’t see or would be ashamed of.
His blood and death paid for the best and worst parts of who we are, as the whole, not only the parts we choose to be purchased.
What if we allowed His atoning blood to do more than just save our souls? What if we let it work in its fullness, as a healing balm straight from Heaven, seeping into the broken and hidden places only we know exist? What if His blood could mend, heal, and restore those unsteady, unstable parts of us, transforming them into solid ground?
Maybe those places weren’t failures after all, but simply growing pains, foundations being laid for something new. Growing in Him. Growing in us. Broken places made whole so they can be made new and beautiful. Something so sturdy it can be launched from, not just merely visited as a memory or a landmark.
At the end of Hosea, we find what healing and wholeness looks like. Chapter 14:4-7 “I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for my anger will have turned from him. I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. His new branches will spread, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance, like the forest of Lebanon. The people will return and live beneath His shade. They will grow grain and blossom like a vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.” Verse 8 “Your fruit comes from Me.”
These promises held true for Hosea because he continued to love in an impossible situation just as God loves and restores to Himself, based on His love for us, not on our merit. God doesn’t redeem us in pieces. He redeems the whole story, the whole person, and calls it beautiful because of His love, not our worthiness.
Prayer: Father, Thank You for loving us in full, not just the cleaned-up parts, but the messy, hidden, and wounded places too. Help us to lay down our pride, our judgment, and our assumptions, and receive Your redeeming love as freely as You give it. Teach us to see ourselves and others through the lens of grace, not comparison. Let Your blood continue to work in us: to heal, to restore, and to make new. Make us sturdy in You, rooted in Your love, and confident in the truth that we are fully known and still fully Yours. Amen.
We'd love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments what God is speaking to you as you read these devotionals. If you haven't already subscribed to receive our devotional emails right to your inbox, hit the subscribe button below and invite your family and friends to subscribe as well! Thank you for being a part of our Opendoor Devotional Community. We appreciate you!
No Comments