Unconditional Love

Tonight, I want to tell you a story of  unconditional love.
One of the most beautiful love stories that I have ever read comes from the book of Hosea. And the story unfolds a little something like this:

God told Hosea to marry a prostitute. So, Hosea did as God commanded him, and he married Gomer (We can't be sure that Gomer was actually a prostitute when she married Hosea, or if that came later on in the marriage. But he knew that one day, she would be unfaithful to him). He loved Gomer with his whole heart. He wasn't rich, and couldn't give her all of the fancy jewelry or beautiful clothes, but he gave her everything that she needed. He took care of her, and loved her. But Gomer wanted more. She wanted not what Hosea could give her, but rather, what he couldn't give her. She wanted the riches. So, she left. Just like that. She was gone. Could you imagine how Hosea must have felt? His wife... The woman he loved with his whole being.... The woman that God told him to marry... Has left him for another man. I don't know about you, but if I were Hosea, I would have questioned God. Why? Why would a faithful God ask him to marry an unfaithful harlot?
Anyways, back to the story, Gomer became enslaved in prostitution. She was no longer her own, but sold as property. Oh, the shame and regret that Gomer must have felt when she was being "auctioned off" before all of these people. She had a wonderful husband and three children that loved her very much, and she had given it all up for this life, that wasn't even her own anymore. But it's too late for all of that.... Right?

Wrong.

So, in walks her prince charming (Hosea, of course). And he buys her freedom back for 15 pieces of silver, and one and a half homers of barley. He makes her his wife once again. He doesn't call her names, or tell her what a failure she is. Instead, he tells her that she will be faithful to him, and he will be faithful to her. Now that, is unconditional love.

So, why would God tell Hosea to marry her if he knew what was going to happen? Because God wanted Hosea to understand how He felt about His children. But let's take this a little bit farther. God wanted somebody to understand how He feels about YOU. He loves us with this unconditional love that makes absolutely no sense at all! We have committed great whoredom, and departed from the Lord (Hosea 1:2). Every time that we turn away from God, or mess up, or become complacent, we give His love away for the love of the world. We are ALL guilty of it. I am Gomer. You are Gomer. But knowing that we would be unfaithful, God saw that one day, we would need someone to save us, even though we don't deserve it. So He paid the greatest price... He gave His Son. There is no greater love.

So I challenge you. The price has been paid and we no longer have to be slaves to this life of whoredom. Will you accept this love? Or will you allow sin to enslave you? The choice is yours.

"I am married unto you." -Jeremiah 3:14
"Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings." -Jeremiah 3:22

I'd Like to Indroduce You To... Me.

I want to take just a moment to be real with you all. I am a firm believer that you have never seen a person as they truly are until you see them at their point of brokenness. When stress is built up, and life just plain hurts.
At this moment, I am broken. I hurt. And I am struggling. But I want all of you to see this side of me. Because when the good times pass, and the lights go down, and everyone is gone, this is who I am. And yet through all of it, through the hard times, through the pain, and everything that's wrong, I still want you to know, that at your darkest point in life, there is One on whom you can depend. And I promise you that He won't let you down. I know this, because on those dark days, like today, He wraps me in His arms.
Now, this is just one bad day. My life is not horrible. I am not depressed. But I know how it feels to be broken. And I have come to this surreal place, where, even when the world is crazy, and I feel like people have let me down, and everything that could go wrong, does, I can't be persuaded to give up. Because even through it all, I feel Him. And I want you to understand that no matter what you go through, He's there. When you smile, He's there. When you cry, He's there. When you feel like giving up, He's there. Even when you turn your back on Him, He's there.
So this is me... This is who I am. My name is Heather. And I am here to admit to you, that I do not live a perfect life. I do not have it all together. And I fail (and fall) almost daily. But despite all of my imperfections, I have a perfect God. And that's ALL that I need.