Monday 13 February 2012

Free love




“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him. - Hosea 14v4

I must not have lived through the 60s because I remember being there (sorry, old joke). One of the phrases that came out of the 60’s was ‘free love.’ Of course we know now that the kind of the ‘love’ there were talking about was not free, it has had a heavy price. That kind of love was neither love, nor was it free.

Of course, that is not the kind of free love Hosea writes about. Hosea writes above a love that really is free and it really is love.

I realise we have been in Hosea for a few days now, but the more I read of it the more I ma overwhelmed by God’s free love for His people. Remember the situation – God’s man, Hosea, was called to marry a prostitute. She carried on in her sin and then he loved her so much that he bought her back.

Hosea tells us here that even in all this mess He will heal their backslidings, love them freely, and turn away His anger.

God will judge sin, but we know He takes no pleasure in it. But for those who turn to Him He stands ready to heal them, love them, and turn away His anger.

As a believer I am both shamed and encouraged. I am shamed because like Gomer I can continue on in my unfaithfulness as I go after my own sin. I am encouraged by the fact that as His child I know that He loves me freely. It is a good thing, because I certainly do nothing to earn His love. His free love sent His Son to do the healing.

Thank God for His perfect free love. 

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