The Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her.” (Hos. 1:2)
Do you know that feeling when someone pulls out in front of you, or when you look down for just a moment and the car in front of you slams on the brakes—that feeling of fear and helplessness when you’re hoping to avoid a fender bender or worse? It’s not too difficult to imagine Hosea felt that type of dread when God asked him to marry Gomer, knowing she would betray their vows. Even in the face of certain and deep pain, Hosea obeyed. But it is important to understand that Hosea’s obedience came as a result of a deep trust in the Father’s heart to bring redemption.
Ask yourself if you have that level of trust in the Father. A good starting place is remembering that the Lord always moves on purpose with purpose. All the paths that he leads us down, no matter how difficult, are not only for his glory but for your good. Rarely are these paths, which may seem long and dark, easy to follow. Don’t forget that Hosea was asked to marry an adulterous woman. But the details of the circumstances weren’t the factors by which Hosea was obedient. It was his trust in the Father that led him to say yes. If the Lord asked you to take steps toward certain pain, do you trust him enough to say yes?
Say yes to the Father.
Matt Rhodes is colead pastor of Parkside Church in Greenville, SC. He is passionate about seeing people discover and live out the unique call that God has placed on their life.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
