MEDITATIONS
FROM THE MINOR PROPHETS
August 30,
2006
Reading: Hosea 3:1-3
“And thou shall not be for another man; so will I also be for thee”
Hosea 3:3 (KJV)
My soul, what a wonderful example of the Holy Spirit’s mastery of weaving Old Testament history into the everlasting gospel of grace. For what purpose would God command one of His faithful prophets to marry an adulteress if it were not to illustrate the grace of Jesus our Savior? Can you find throughout history anything like the astonishing marriage of Jesus with our fallen sinful nature and His personal union with every individual He calls to be His own?
Examine this scripture and see how wonderfully it points to Jesus. Hosea was commanded to love this adulteress and to buy her for himself. She was to stay with him and stop being an adulteress and, in return, he promised be her husband and stay with her. He loved her, bought her, and vowed never to leave her. How like your Redeemer who loved you before the foundation of the world, made Himself one with your nature (He became sin for you), purchased you with His precious blood, and promised to never leave you nor forsake you. Just as the prophet was sent by God, so was Jesus, the Great Apostle, the sent One.
“Let this mind be in you which was
also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the
form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in
appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of
death, even the death of the cross” Philippians 2:5-8.
Dear Jesus, in spite
of all my many transgressions, You loved me as a true Friend
and Brother, enough to lay down Your life for me and take me as Your own possession.
You bought me with Your blood and made me one with
Yourself. You, God’s Firstborn Son, adopted me into Your
family having paid such an immense price. Thank You, my Savior, for Your abundant grace and mercy—let me never forget it or take
it for granted.
“By
this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His
Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent
the Son as Savior of the world” 1 John
O
God, whose arm reached down to save me—
Accept
my humble thanks;
You,
whose strength alone could lift me up—
Accept
my heartfelt thanks.
Dear
Jesus, whose arms stretched across the beam—
I
cannot thank You enough;
Whose
love reached down to those who pierced You—
I
thank You with all my heart.
Dear
Lord, whose outstretched arms are always there—
Thank
You for Your faithfulness;
Whose
arms will for ever enfold me—
Thank
You for Your patience.
O
God, whose arms keep me from falling—
I
thank You for Your mercy;
You,
whose mercy preserves my soul—
I
thank You for Your love.