The Gift of Forgiveness

"The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.” — Hosea 3:1-3

Being a prophet in the Old Testament was hard. You presented the messages from God to the people, but that didn't make you beloved. And sometimes, as was the case for Hosea, your entire life became an object lesson.

The story of Hosea and his wife, Gomer, is fascinating. It's an incredible depiction of faith and forgiveness. I can't imagine what it was like for Hosea to be told to take Gomer as his wife, but he believed in the promises of God and did just that. Then, after years of marriage, she left him to return to an unholy lifestyle. But that wasn't the end.

As we saw in our text on Sunday, God calls Hosea to forgive Gomer, and not just that but to buy her back out of her lifestyle. And Hosea does it. While it's a metaphor for God's love of His people, the Isreallites, it's also a beautiful depiction of faith and forgiveness in marriage. Let's not forget, Hosea had to live this out.

The Bible is full of commandments to forgive, and it's also full of examples of incredible forgiveness demonstrated by people of faith. This is also important for marriages. Whether it's something big, like the issues that Hosea and Gomer faced, or the every day issues that can become just as big, forgiveness is an important part of the marriage balance. When we forgive others, we are able to break the chains it places on our hearts and move forward.

It's also important for life. When we forgive, we don't just help the other person but we help ourselves. Forgiveness allows us to let go of that which holds us back. It's freeing. And that's important. It reminds me of the end of "Philomena," when Philomena Lee forgave those who had wronged her. She said it was hard, but it was the right thing to do because it allowed her to let go of the guilt, grief, and anger that held her back. That's what forgiveness does for us all.