Have any of you read "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers? I recently reread it and was again amazed by God's love for me. ME! Of all people. A temperamental, inconsistent, selfish woman. He died for me and he LIVES for me.
Redeeming Love is a California gold rush retelling of the Biblical story of Hosea. Man of God marries a prostitute who keeps leaving him and returning to her past life. When I read Hosea as a child I kept thinking, "What? Who would go back to that?" In Redeeming Love, Rivers is able to get inside the head of both characters enough that you understand -- Angel (the prostitute) returns to her old life because it's all she's ever known. It's terrible, but it's familiar. Michael Hosea continues to love her, but not because he feels like it. Because God tells him to.
How different, really, am I from Angel? My unfaithfulness may not be sexual, but is spiritual unfaithfulness any less real? When I neglect my relationship with God and flirt with doing things my own way is that any less harmful than neglecting a marriage and flirting with other men?
Why does God love me? Some days I can't think of a single reason, but "the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases and his mercy never comes to the end. They are new every morning! Great is his faithfulness!"
Thank you Jesus!
God is good!
1 comment:
Good stuff! Can I use that in my lectureship talk? the part about spiritual unfaithfulness?
My friend, Tammy, just recently read this one, too. It's one of those books I keep putting off but I don't know why....
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