“For better, for worse.
For richer, for poorer.
In sickness and in health.
As you are a prostitute or have adulterous affairs.”
What if that last sentence was a part of your marriage vows?
Would you say it?
Yesterday in worship we talked about a prophet named Hosea who was married to a woman (Gomer) who got involved in some sexual promiscuous activity.
Apparently it was not a “one and done” kind of thing, either. The man she was involved with, Hosea writes, was in love with Gomer.
I imagine Hosea was pouring out his heart to God in his anger and pain . . . “WHY, God? Why has she done this? Why has she broken our vows? Why does she not love me?”
Just like Hosea experienced anger and pain as a result of the actions of someone he loved, so do you and I.
In this season of Christmas we see these mushy television commercials of families reunited, all sitting around a Christmas tree. Or we watch movies where there is a broken relationship then in a time span of 1 ½ to 2 hours, everything gets resolved.
That is anything but reality.
We live in realities of broken relationships.
We live in realities of loneliness and feelings of desolation.
Yet . . . just like God told Hosea to go pursue Gomer DESPITE her newfound sexual relationship . . . . and to buy her back . . . God pursues us that much!
It is a scandalous love.
When we are immersed in our sadness and our desolation – God is pursuing us with a love that brings peace.
It is how we make it through the dark times.
But how do we experience it? How do we find that peace and make it more than just words?
Just because someone says, “Have peace” doesn’t make it reality.
That is where the beauty of meditation, prayer, and Scripture comes into play.
If we will first believe that we can FIND peace and open ourselves up to that possibility . . . and then meditate and rest in the words of Scripture and the Power of the Holy Spirit there is a feeling that will wash over you, I promise. A feeling of peace.
If not – then ask a friend (or a West staff person) to pray FOR you.
There is something mystical in the power of prayer . . . God works through the Holy Spirit to carry us during our darkest times!
Today, if you or someone you know is in need of peace, use this passage from Psalms as a meditative passage. See if you don’t feel a little different knowing that there is a force of Love greater than you are holding this universe together!
And that force of Love reminds us that the worst things are never the last things. Even the power of the pain of betrayal.
139 1-6 God, investigate my life;
get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an open book to you;
even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say
before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you’re there,
then up ahead and you’re there, too—
your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
I can’t take it all in!7-12 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you’re there!
If I go underground, you’re there!
If I flew on morning’s wings
to the far western horizon,
You’d find me in a minute—
you’re already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I’m immersed in the light!”
It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you;
night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.