Skip to main content

The Power of Forgiveness Part 1

The Power of Forgiveness
Part 1
Today's Truth

The LORD said to me again, 'Go, show your love to a woman loved by someone else, who has been unfaithful to you. In the same way the LORD loves the people of Israel, even though they worship other gods and love to eat the raisin cakes.' So I bought her for six ounces of silver and ten bushels of barley. Then I told her, 'You must wait for me for many days. You must not be a prostitute, and you must not have sexual relations with any other man. I will act the same way toward you.' In the same way Israel will live many days without a king or leader, without sacrifices or holy stone pillars, and without the holy vest or an idol. After this, the people of Israel will return to the LORD their God and follow him and the king from David's family. In the last days, they will turn in fear to the LORD, and he will bless them (Hosea 3:1-5, NCV).

Friend to Friend

True love is strong, unconditional - God's love - a love that we cannot understand or explain in human terms. The life of the Old Testament prophet, Hosea, powerfully illustrates this kind of love. Hosea was married to Gomer and together they had three children. Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea, betraying the covenant of marriage. Hosea had every right to walk away, but love that never fails calls us up to higher choices that are beyond human reasoning. Supernatural choices demand supernatural action and sacrifice. 

Hosea 3:2 "So I bought her for six ounces of silver and ten bushels of barley" (NCV).

Think about it. Hosea was the one who had been wronged and humiliated. Yes, he was the one following God but he was also the one called to sacrifice. We misunderstand the full meaning of sacrifice, thinking it is only a decision to "give up" self-centered rights, hoarded resources or the freedom to walk away. Sacrifice is a mirror reflecting our own pride and sin, calling us to lay down all sense of human justice or fairness in order for God to work in and through us to love others. What sacrifices did God call Hosea to make? 

Hosea had to sacrifice his pride.

The phrase "loved by another," suggests Gomer was owned by a family friend or fellow citizen.  She may have been sleeping with one or more of Hosea's friends or, at the very least, one of his neighbors. Hosea had to swallow his pride and go to her in love and forgiveness. Now let me just tell you that if I had been the one going to find Gomer, I would have been more likely to snatch her up by the hair and drag her home in front of as many people as possible to prove she could not get away with what she was doing. Better yet, I would have said, "Good riddance. You can keep her!" I am certain I could find many who would agree with my plan of punishment and revenge. It seems to me that Hosea stood to gain very little but lose a great deal by choosing to respond as he did. Hosea was called on to sacrifice everything to redeem a woman who did not deserve sacrifice or redemption. Jesus did the same thing for us when He died on the cross. He now calls us to respond with that same God-like heart attitude of redemption.

Hosea had to sacrifice his rights.

Gomer broke the covenant of marriage. Don't miss this pivotal truth. Biblically, Hosea had every justification to divorce Gomer. He could have tossed her out and turned her children against her, stripping her life of every good thing. Hosea could have destroyed Gomer, and no one would have blamed him. Instead, Hosea rose to a higher place when he laid down his anger, hurt and the right to retaliate or seek revenge. It doesn't stop there. 
Hosea took the initiative and went to her. Matthew describes a forgiveness we find hard to understand. "So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God" (Matthew 5:23 , NLT). Notice what this verse says. If we know someone has something against us and we refuse to deal with it, nothing we do or say will count in Kingdom work. God always seeks restoration and reconciliation and commands us to look past what seems like a logical reaction to the highest obedience we can offer.

There is one more very important step in learning to truly forgive. Don't miss the rest of Hosea and Gomer's story in Thursday's devotion.  

Let's Pray

Father, I am so tired of holding on to the pain in my life. I want to forgive those who have hurt me and learn how to let go of the pain and walk on. Today, I lay down my pride and my rights. I will not seek revenge or retaliation. Instead, I choose to love my enemies and bless those who have harmed me. Please give me the strength and power to honor you as I step out in obedience.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acción de gracias por dones espirituales

Gracias doy a mi Dios siempre por vosotros, por la gracia de Dios que os fue dada en Cristo Jesús;   porque en todas las cosas fuisteis enriquecidos en él, en toda palabra y en toda ciencia;   así como el testimonio acerca de Cristo ha sido confirmado en vosotros,   de tal manera que nada os falta en ningún don, esperando la manifestación de nuestro Señor Jesucristo;   el cual también os confirmará hasta el fin, para que seáis irreprensibles en el día de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.   Fiel es Dios, por el cual fuisteis llamados a la comunión con su Hijo Jesucristo nuestro Señor.    Os ruego, pues, hermanos, por el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, que habléis todos una misma cosa , y que no haya entre vosotros divisiones , sino que estéis perfectamente unidos en una misma mente y en un mismo parecer .   Porque he sido informado acerca de vosotros, hermanos míos, por los de Cloé, que hay entre vosotros contiendas.   Quiero decir, que cada uno de vosotros dice: Yo soy de Pablo; y y
1 comment
Read more

Pablo reprende a Pedro

Pero cuando Pedro vino a Antioquía, le resistí cara a cara, porque era de condenar. Pues antes que viniesen algunos de parte de Jacobo, comía con los gentiles; pero después que vinieron, se retraía y se apartaba, porque tenía miedo de los de la circuncisión. Y en su simulación participaban también los otros judíos, de tal manera que aun Bernabé fue también arrastrado por la hipocresía de ellos. Pero cuando vi que no andaban rectamente conforme a la verdad del evangelio, dije a Pedro delante de todos: Si tú, siendo judío, vives como los gentiles y no como judío, ¿por qué obligas a los gentiles a judaizar? Nosotros, judíos de nacimiento, y no pecadores de entre los gentiles, sabiendo que el hombre no es justificado por las obras de la ley, sino por la fe de Jesucristo, nosotros también hemos creído en Jesucristo, para ser justificados por la fe de Cristo y no por las obras de la ley, por cuanto por las obras de la ley nadie será justificado. Y si buscando ser justificados en Cristo, tamb
Post a Comment
Read more

Leer hoy

Leer hoy: Mateo 10:26-42; Levíticos 9,10; Proverbios 23. Señor, tu eres mi Dios reconocerlo todos los días te hará mucho bien; Isaías 25:1 si aun no le conoces dejame lo saber con gusto te lo presento. Jesus es su nombre!! Dios te bendiga!! Orar sin cesar!!! Amen!!
Post a Comment
Read more