“Actually, I’m divorced.” My friend’s eyes fell as he spoke. This was not something he enjoyed telling others. “I’m not sure what happened. We were both wrong. It all just fell apart.” As our conversation continued, he shared that his wife’s departure had crushed him.
It’s strange to think about, but God knows how a jilted lover feels. He has been one Himself.
The prophet Hosea spoke on behalf of God to Israel during a critical moment in their history (Hosea 1:1). It was a time of affluence and idol worship, leading up to the Assyrian exile (Hosea 2:8-9,11).
During those tumultuous days, God referred to Israel as a wife who had left Him for prostitution (Hosea 2:2). The people of Israel infuriated Him with their idol worship. “ ‘I will punish her for all those times when she burned incense to her images of Baal, when she put on her earrings and jewels and went out to look for her lovers but forgot all about me,’ says the Lord” (Hosea 2:13).
By God’s grace, not everyone will experience the pain of divorce as my friend has. But in different ways, everyone knows what it feels like to be rejected by someone we care for. A boyfriend or girlfriend moves on, a spouse flirts with someone else at a party, or someone else you love fails you somehow. In these moments we can find solace in knowing that God understands exactly how we feel. We can also be comforted that God shows grace even to wayward lovers. He said to Israel, “I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion” (Hosea 2:19).
If you feel the pain of lost love, turn to God for comfort. And if you’ve turned away from Him, return and experience His loving embrace (Psalm 86:15; Romans 8:37-39).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Joshua 23:1-16
More:
Read Deuteronomy 10:12-19 and consider how God desired for His people to love Him and others.
Next:
What painful relationships do you need to bring to God so that you can experience His comfort and presence? How can you demonstrate your love for God today?
Gary Shultz on March 5, 2017 at 6:13 am
Hi Andy: It is amazing in my life time married life has drastically changed. I ache for young people who get dashed on the rocks of despair. Some who foolishly spend more energy chasing others than they invest back into their own relationships. Yes, there have been struggles in each generation; however if seems like we have excepted relational failure as normal. Loyalty is tossed for lust and we mirror the life of the prophet. Okay complain, complain, what should we who have found stability and faithfulness in Christ do? We need to come along side those crushed, we need to share Jesus, in a healing way. There is no one who loves us like our God, no one who is that faithful, thoughtful and forgiving. Yeah forgiving, if you hope to make it today, you better work on a big forgiving heart. I do believe a growing relationship with Christ is a foundational quality to live and grace others today. Thanks Andy
minkjh on March 5, 2017 at 2:15 pm
Andy, your choice to include the selection from Deuteronomy 10 is an excellent one. This is one of those seldom-read/heard passages that provides us with a blueprint for living our lives in accordance with God’s plan for his elect. The question posed in verse 12 is rhetorical but somehow we have difficulty adhering to walking in true obedience to our Creator.
twincitiesjim on March 6, 2017 at 2:54 pm
I was trying to get caught up on my devotionals today when I saw this post a day late. I struggle mightily with this topic today. Almost 5 months ago my wife of 19 years managed to divorce me after a 17 month separation and 5 more years of prayer for our marriage before that. I don’t know if I should be like God in Hosea and continue to stand for her and wait for her to come to her senses or if I should move on with my life. I am slowly losing my love for her and my desire to pray for her salvation. I wonder if God has a better plan for me and our children, but it is difficult to conceive how anything could be better than her coming back to faith in Christ and for our family to be restored. I often feel delusional that I still hope for that. I try so hard to do the right thing and make God proud. I just want to know if I should move on or continue to hope for something that seems so hopeless and unlikely.
hsnpoor on March 8, 2017 at 2:35 am
Only God can answer that question for you. And scripture assures us that He will. Read John 16 and then take your concerns to the Lord in prayer in light of that reading (especially verses 23-24). Remember that it’s an inquiry of the Lord that you want answered according to His Will, not a request to have your will done.
twincitiesjim on March 8, 2017 at 8:42 am
Thank you! I only want to do God’s will. I will try to accept whatever that is even as I hope and pray that it will not be my worst fears. I have read and believed in those verses for so long. I have prayed believing that he would answer my prayers, but yet if he has, I am either too blind to see it or the answer has not yet come. I believed throughout our separation that he was going to restore our marriage and I felt I had many messages to that effect. Some of them seemed to indicate that he would restore prior to actual divorce while some might have indicated otherwise. Since the divorce, I do not feel that I have gotten anything indicating restoration, but yet in my heart I cannot let it go and I do not understand the earlier messages about restoration. My wife (or ex as it is currently in the world of man) has never indicated anything at all that would give me any hope. Thank you for your comments. I have read that chapter again and I will meditate on it all this week. I just want clarity and support from God so I make the right choices.