““Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Will bring her into the wilderness, And speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, As in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. “And it shall be, in that day,” Says the Lord, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master,’”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Romance. It’s the thing fairytales are made for. And every fairytale follows essentially the same plot: pursuit, conflict, restoration. 

Allure – pursuit 

Wilderness – conflict 

Speak comfort  –  restoration 

It’s the way of romantic relationships. It’s strange to think that the G-d of the universe wants that type of relationship with me – one of intimacy – a unique bond shared with Him alone. 

The story of Hosea is a challenging read. A godly man is told to marry a harlot and pursue after her each time she strays. They have children together. He grows to love her. She pursues other lovers and still he goes after her. The story of Hosea – made popular by Francine Rivers in Redeeming Love – is a mirror of His pursuit of me and of you. We are pursued by Him. We respond. We enjoy closeness and bear fruit – then something captures our attention, our heart wanders, and we stray. He seeks us out again, calling us into the wilderness and speaks tenderly to us there, restoring us to Himself. 

Could it be that the wilderness is the place of romance? I’ve always thought of wilderness seasons as a time of barrenness and solitude. Yet here in Hosea we see the wilderness is the place where he speaks tenderly to her and she comes to know him as husband rather than master. The wilderness is where she is allured, drawn, called. When I see the wilderness from that perspective, it doesn’t seem scary after all. 

Father – thank You for how You pursue and comfort me. Your Word is life to me. I am learning to find peace and comfort in You alone. Pursue my heart. Put in me a passion for You above all else. You are good and You keep doing good. Your leadership in my life is perfect and You can be trusted. Amen. 

Daily Reading: Hosea 1-7

July 20, 2022