Adultery

 And the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins."
Hosea 3:1 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/hos.3.1.ESV

Prophets of God often had to do unusual and difficult things, but Hosea had one of the hardest jobs around. He had to marry an adulterous woman, as a horrific picture of how God's people were treating Himself. Sadly, we can learn from Hosea even today.

Whenever we idolise anything other than God, we are committing spiritual adultery. Whenever we put anything in the place of God, we are unfaithful to Him. We might seem to get away with it for a season, but we must be brought back, or else to be lost forever.

Astoundingly, just as Hosea had to bring back his adulterous wife, so God brings back His adulterous people. We deserve to be banished forever. Yet God welcomes us back with open arms.

If we're convicted today of being false to the One True God, we don't have to cower away in terror. We can confidently approach the throne of grace because of Jesus's sacrifice on our behalf. Because He gave His life for us, we can be set free from lives of futility.

'Heavenly Father, please help us come running to You, even as Your heart runs after us. Please bring us back from whatever would separate us from You, in Christ's name, amen'

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