Hosea 1:2-10
Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children
of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom
by forsaking the Lord. — Hosea 1:2b
Has anybody ever listened to this story from Gomer’s perspective?
Here I am the wife of this prophet. It is not easy being a
prophet’s wife. A prophet feels driven by an inner compulsion.
Prophets lives are not their own and all those around them are all
part of their message.
A PROPHET’S WIFE
A prophet’s wife never feels like a whole
person. You are like a piece of a puzzle that only your husband
sees in his mind’s eye. He calls one of our children Jezreel after
some defeat he saw coming for Israel. Another he calls “Not pitied”
and a third “Not my people” because he sees God withdrawing
pity and separating himself from Israel. It is not fair for children
to represent their father’s vision or to carry out their father’s
dream.
WHAT ABOUT ME?
And what about me? I also begin to feel like I am just an appendage
to my husband and not a real person in my own right. I
made a mistake. I’ll admit it. I had an affair. I know I should not
have had an affair, but I was so lonely. For a moment I thought
someone else could make me feel important. It was wrong, but
maybe I understand how people stray from God now. Sometimes
you get lonely and frightened. God seems so distant and unpredictable
and something comes along that feels more real. You reach
out and, only too late, do you realize that it is an illusion. I did,
anyway.
A DEMANDING GOD
I know that Hosea’s God is a demanding God, and I thought
there might be an easier way in the arms of a lover. I have to admit
that when I realized what a fool I was, Hosea was still there ready
to take me back. Like his God, Hosea still loves me and welcomes
me home like a prodigal daughter.
But then comes another problem.
SHAME
How do I accept forgiveness? Hosea sees himself acting like
God acts toward Israel. But every day I look at his face, and it
reminds me of my guilt. Here he is, Mr. Righteous, looking with
pity on this adulteress. I think unless you have been there, you
cannot understand what it means to accept forgiveness. If God wants
to save his people, God will have to come and live among us.
EXCERPTED FROM
WATER FROM THE ROCK: Lectionary Devotional for Cycle C
by Stephen McCutchan www.smccutchan.com
