The Relentless Love of God

In Hosea we find a tragic love story that pictures the relationship between Israel and God. Hosea’s wife, Gomer, betrays him, abuses his trusts, takes advantage of him and no doubt wounds him deeply.

Yet, when Gomer finds herself sold off as a slave and abandoned by her lovers, it is Hosea that comes to her rescue! He pays her purchase price as a slave, but receives her as his wife. Hosea redeemed Gomer.

Their relationship serves as a powerful example of God’s love for Israel, but Israel’s idolatry and betrayal. There is also a demonstration of God’s love for His fallen creation.

In the writings of the prophet Hosea we see the relentless love of God as He pursues His fallen creation as a means of bringing glory to His name!

As I thought on these truths yesterday this hymn caught my eye in our hymnbook. It is by Charles Wesley and beautifully describes God’s “ceaseless, unexhausted love…”

Thy ceaseless, unexhausted love,
Unmerited and free,
Delights our evil to remove,
And help our misery.

Thou waitest to be gracious still;
Thou dost with sinners bear,
That, saved, we may Thy goodness feel,
And all Thy grace declare.

Thy goodness and Thy truth to me
To every soul, abound,
A vast, unfathomable sea,
Where all our thoughts are drowned.

Its streams the whole creation reach,
So plenteous is the store,
Enough for all, enough for each,
Enough for evermore.

Faithful, O Lord, Thy mercies are!
A rock that cannot move;
A thousand promises declare
Thy constancy of love.

Throughout the universe it reigns,
Unalterably sure;
And while the truth of God remains,
The goodness must endure.

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