Redeeming Love: Obedience, Restoration, and God's Pursuit

Hosea didn't just deliver a message to the people. He lived it. He felt its impact. God's heart broke for his unfaithful people, just as Hosea's heart broke for his unfaithful wife. God's pursuit of love to draw his people back to himself and give them another chance—this also mirrored what Hosea was commanded to do regarding his wife. [00:01:56] (31 seconds)  #LivingLovePursuit

The Lord pointed out that Hosea's choice to love his wife in that condition would serve as a visual aid and illustration of God's love for the nation of Israel, which was in a similar condition. Hosea's wife turned to other lovers while Israel had turned to false gods. [00:03:54] (20 seconds)  #LoveAsGodLoves

There was nothing that Hosea's former wife could do to merit his love. She'd done everything to run from it, to be undeserving of it, and yet he pursued her, and yet he brought her back to himself. What a picture that is of the love of God for us tonight. [00:07:42] (18 seconds)  #UnmeritedLoveRestored

If there's going to be restoration, if this is really going to work, if it's going to come together, there's some things we have to establish right here. We cannot, in other words, go on like we have been going on because it doesn't work, obviously. So we have to change course. We have to change direction. [00:09:16] (16 seconds)  #ChangeForRestoration

Time was needed. Why? To reestablish trust. To perhaps see the genuine fruit of repentance. And that has to be observable. And that takes time. [00:09:52] (16 seconds)  #TrustTakesTime

So often God just wants me to obey what he said. And then when I do that, that's when the power comes. That's when the ability comes. If I'm waiting for, you know, God to just somehow hit me with something that just makes me feel like I want to do it, it probably is not going to happen. It's a command. And therefore the command requires a choice. [00:16:48] (20 seconds)  #ObedienceUnlocksPower

With God's commandments come God's enablements. What has God commanded you to do? What has he asked you to do? Have you done it? Well, I'm waiting. For what? Maybe another command. No, no, this is the one. This is it. This is the one he gave you. Do what he told you. [00:17:14] (16 seconds)  #CommandedAndEnabled

Everyone sought, in other words, to do what was right in their own eyes instead of what was right in the sight of God. That's what they were working for. That's what they were doing. But sadly, they did not take into consideration how this would affect society, their family, the nation. And so the Lord says, this is what's gonna happen. The whole land is gonna mourn. Everyone is gonna waste away. Everybody's impacted by it. [00:27:25] (27 seconds)  #SelfRightousnessCostsAll

You can chase after that. You can pursue that thing in the world, but just know this, know this one thing, you know, it won't, it won't be enough. it won't be it won't satisfy you it won't fulfill you it might promise that it will but just know this it will not be enough. [00:34:55] (17 seconds)  #WorldlyPursuitsFail

Isn't it amazing how we come up with all kinds of things to justify what we're doing? And in our mind, it sounds legit. Why are you worshiping under that tree? Well, if you must know, it's rather shady. It's very comfortable. Like why, why would you do that? Just the thinking process. When you get away from God's word and you get away from God's will and you start talking to sticks, you're gonna say some really dumb things. You're gonna do some dumb things. [00:40:27] (28 seconds)  #FoolishJustifications