Everyday Relationship
Following Jesus every day in the everyday, sometimes my times alone with Him are a little too everyday! They can become more like a business transaction than a lovers’ tryst, or worse, a loveless marriage.
Hosea chapter 3 paints a heart-breaking picture of one man’s faithful love for a very unfaithful wife. The woman is a whore from the beginning, and continues her life of sex-for-money after Hosea marries her, cares for her needs and fathers her children (his own or another man’s). Sometime later, under God’s instructions, Hosea pays the required price to have her released, once again, from debt-induced slavery. He pays half in silver, half in grain to bring her home, but it will be a half-marriage: living together by legal arrangement, and without “affairs,” but with no intimacy. Her physical needs of shelter and food, legal protection and identification will be met, but none of the sex she has been devoted to and none of the heart-connection he longs for.
Here is the sometimes-picture of God and me: He faithfully cares for my needs and sees to my protection, but I pursue Him only for those things He can provide and not for His own self, and seek satisfaction elsewhere. He will not force His affections on me; He is the consummate Gentleman. Even to my soul’s hurt, He waits for me to open my heart to His embrace. His longing is so deep and love so rich, but He will never impose His desire for me over my self-imposed limits.
God, forgive me for taking only what You give and not what You offer: Yourself.
I offer myself to You, and willingly surrender whatever You want to take. I choose You over Your gifts. I do not desire half-love for You.
Still on the journey of following Jesus every day in the everyday,
Christi
P.S. Still waiting for those frugal cooking questions or subject suggestions as we prepare the Frugal Cooking video series.
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