Purify Your Mind Series (Part 1) by Joe KirbySample

How Can I Give You Up?

Have you ever asked the question, “Have I sinned away my salvation? My sins are so repetitive, how could God still love me?”

If that’s you, you need to read the Book of Hosea. The prophet is commanded by God to marry a prostitute called Gomer—not a reformed prostitute; in fact, Gomer would still repeatedly cheat on him, God said. Hosea was commanded to marry her anyway, as a picture of God’s love for Israel. Though they were unfaithful to Him, He would remain faithful and never leave them nor forsake them.

The picture of marriage in Hosea is also a picture of parenthood. If you are a parent, go back to the days when you nursed a baby in your arms. You fed them, you clothed them, you held their hand as they learned to walk; they meant everything to you because they were your baby. However, that baby grew into a teenager who rebelled horribly against you. They spat abuse at you, stole from you, took drugs, and slept around. It got so bad that you said, “I can’t go through this any longer; you have to leave; you can’t live with us here anymore.” So your child packs a big bag of clothes, walks down the stairs, and, just as they open the door to leave, they look back at you. The heart of God which dwells within us all, your God-given conscience, cries out, “How can I give you up?”

That’s what God thinks every time you cheat on Him. “Yes, you’ve failed Me; yes, you’ve played the prostitute again; but I cannot give you up. I love you too much. I can’t rain fire and brimstone on you like those towns in Sodom and Gomorrah; Admah and Zeboiim” (see Hosea 11:8). No, you’re a daughter of Christ; you’re a son of the Most High God. You were bought with a price, and God will not give you up.

If you enjoyed this plan and would like to dive into Part 2, you can find it here:

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/40188