God's Redeeming Love
There are some things that are worth the price it costs to buy them. Then, there are other things that are just not worth the price they are asking for them. It is up to each of us to decide what is worth buying and what is not. In Japan I have seen small watermelons on sale for $100. That is too much for me. Also, I have seen small dogs on sale in Japan for about $2,000. I would not pay that much for a dog, either. I am very glad that when God looked at me, He was willing to pay the price for me to be redeemed from sin.
Hosea was God's prophet, and God commanded him to marry a prostitute. That was to show that God still loved His people even though they had gone after other gods. Then, his wife left him to commit adultery. (Hosea 3:1) Then the Lord said to me (Hosea), "Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them." Hosea had to go and pay the price to buy her back from slavery, and He did it out of love for her.
God never gives up on any of us. It doesn't matter how much we have sinned or how long we have run away from Him, He is ready for us to come to Him. He loves us all, no matter what. When I was pastor at Smith Bend Baptist Church, I was talking to an older man, trying to witness to him. He did not want to listen, and he finally told me that he had sinned too much. He did not think the Lord would ever love Him or accept him. I told him that was not true, but I don't think He ever accepted Jesus.
The truth is that Jesus came to earth to become the God/Man, so He could pay the ultimate price for all of the sins of humanity. He did it out of love, and all He asks is that we love Him back and put our trust in Him. He gave His blood as the payment for our sins, and He died in our place, because someone had to die for our sins. The wages of sin is death. He did this for every person who has ever lived or will ever live on this earth. He is ready to redeem you from the slavery of sin today, if you have never taken that step. Please, love Him and trust to save you.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hosea 4-6.