God As Lover
2008-05-23

Getting ready for our Night of Praise tonight. I've got it all set up, so it should be good. I'm adding three new songs tonight that we haven't sung before. Well, two new and one that is really old that I just re-arranged. I don't think anyone will remember it.
Tonight we are learning "Everlasting God," "The Power of the Cross," and "Jesus Shall Reign." I had always thought Tomlin wrote "Everlasting God," but he didn't. It's written by Brenton Brown and Ken Riley. "The Power of the Cross" is written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. Stuart has written several really nice modern hymns. We are also singing "How Deep the Father's Love For Us," which he also wrote. It's a modern hymn in 5/4 time!! That's different! I love it.

Psalm for today: 18:1-24

"In my distress I called upon the LORD;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears." Verse 6


Day 164

Hosea 2:14-20

Today, we venture into what I believe is a book that has been terribly mis-applied by Christians over time. But let's look at today's passage.

It is God speaking about his plans for Israel. He plans to start all over with her; woo her again. The end result is this: "And then I'll marry you for good--forever! I'll marry you true and proper, in love and tenderness. Yes, I'll marry you and neither leave you nor let you go. You'll know me, GOD, for who I really am."

One of the points of Hosea is that we get a real life metaphor of God's love for us, and our rejection of him. "Hosea had to pursue the woman again and again as a symbolic act of how God runs after us when we've been unfaithful. We are the prostitute in this story."

So when have you ever been compared to a prostitute? Can't say I ever had. What does it feel like? I understand completely. Just knowing how often God has had to chase after me because I ignorantly (or sometimes even purposefully, like Gomer in this book) headed down a path of destruction, helps me to understand the metaphor here.

But we are also God's beloved in this story! How great is that?? We have been courted by a lover who cares deeply about us in spite of our past (some of which is not so distant). How difficult is it to think of God as your lover? I know it's not easy for a guy to think of that. But you really have to get deeply into this concept and throw aside all conventional wisdom when it comes to thinking of God as our "lover." After all, the Bible describes this relationship in several places.

We are the new Israel. I believe that just about everything God says about Israel in the Old Testament can apply to us (the Church). And we are the "bride" of Christ. There again, is the description of a relationship that is just a little bit tough to comprehend. But I believe it is absolutely glorious! The final relationship that we will have with our Savior will be one that words cannot even begin to describe. I don't even think I have any inner feelings that can match what we will feel in that day. Possibly because, up to this point in my life, I have yet to experience them.


Father, it is my desire to know you more intimately. I want to know you as you truly are, and for you to know me in the same way. Prepare me for the glorious day when we will become the bride of Christ. Help us all to cast aside misconceptions of love and relationship as we prepare for that day.

"Carry the image of God as lover in your mind today."

Grace and peace, friends.



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