After all of that rain last week, Mike and I could not wait to get out on the boat and get some sunshine! As bad as we, both, wanted to be on the water and in the sunshine we knew that we had to be at revival Sunday night. We had to because we are so grateful that we GET too, as one of my pastor's says. We knew it would be a blessing! God showed off by showing me that I may not have been in the sunshine that afternoon but we were all in the Sonshine that evening! Jesus shone through the music! The singing was so loud and worshipful that I had to turn around and see how many people were there! You could feel the electricity in that gym, nearly 300 people worshipping amongst the Sonshine!
God also shone through Dr. Moore’s message of Hosea and his faithfulness. This story of Hosea and Gomer is a wonderful example of God’s love and faithfulness. Hosea, an Old Testament prophet, spoke the Word of God and turned his life and marriage into a living parable for God to use in a mighty way! What a witness he was! God had Hosea marry Gomer, a prostitute, who remained unfaithful, continuing to leave him for other lovers. Still, God told Hosea to keep going after her, over and over again and bring her back home. Eventually Hosea found her on an auction block. Hosea asked, how much? Hosea knew he had to give everything he had to bring her home. You see the parable - Hosea represented God, and Gomer represented us, God’s people. We are called to live in a covenant relationship with God. He is our God - no other idols in our life. Deuteronomy 5: 6, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Exodus 20: 3, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Like us, they constantly rebelled against God, chasing other idols.
No matter how unfaithful we are, chasing idols, God is there waiting for us asking how much!? All idols are not bad, the problem is when we place more value on them than God. Is it our work, school, our relationships, sports, our boat, our home, shopping, social media, exercise, etc? Over the past year many have suffered from COVID - not just the actual COVID but the social distancing, the fear, the black hole, the loneliness. This causes fear in many. God is calling for us to be like Hosea - stay faithful to a faithful God even when things aren’t good. When we have fear we are questioning God’s faithfulness. And yet, God is still asking, “how much?” He paid the ultimate price for us. Romans 5: 8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Let's pray for a longing for the One Who longs for us. Romans 8: 22-23, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.” Groaning is longing. Think about our children and how much we love them and want the best for them. God wants so much more for us, His children, than we can imagine. Matthew 7: 9-11, “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
God has an unfailing love for us, the kind of love that caused Him suffering. The kind of love that made Him want to come to earth, in flesh, to experience life as we know it. The kind of love that lifts us up. The kind of love that is high and holy! Hosea 2: 23, “I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’” God is faithful even when we are not. Hosea 6: 3, “Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear…” Feel God longing for you. Hear Him asking, “how much?” Live abundantly NOW in the Sonshine!