Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man, so I will also be toward you.” Hosea 3:3 

At this point in the story of Hosea, the harlot is brought home, forgiven, and loved.  It’s the last thing she would anticipate.  Expecting revenge, there’s grace upon grace. 

It’s pretty easy to love when nothing threatens it. I can be gracious with a stranger. I can love others who haven’t hurt me.  But, if I am in relationship with someone who is cruel, who makes promises and breaks them, my desire to be gracious will be eroded by the memories of their treacherous behavior. Revenge, not forgiveness, is the natural response to pain.  I may even be subtle in how I make others pay.  I’ve discovered that there are many ways to exact retribution.   I can even do it with a smile. 

God’s love is not flawed.  It is not layered with mixed messages.   No matter how many times I stab Him in the back, he does not pay me back in revenge. He remains faithful.  He is upfront, gracious, and uncomplicated.  As I trust the mercy He extends, I will be changed to begin loving others as I have been loved.  Perfect love can be cultivated in the heart of the God’s beloved people by the power of the Spirit. 

One of the hardest things God ever called our family to do was to stay in a certain city for  three years. It had been a place of great ministry betrayal and we all wanted to escape.  We dreamt of moving to another place so I could be free from the memories.  (Me, most of all.)  

The Spirit of God spoke to me one morning while reading through Psalm 37. “Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” Psalm 37:3  He needed to teach me how to thrive in the middle of the wilderness.  He needed to show me that it was possible to live in Egypt without a trace of bitterness.  At the end of the three years, we were called to a new place to live.  We celebrated the move but didn’t feel like we were fleeing.  

Who needs undeserved grace today?  It’s probably the first person who just came to your mind. 

I review how You’ve loved me.  What does that look like as I give it away in strength, not weakness? Amen