About the Book: (from Revell Publishing)
An epic journey of intimacy, rejection, betrayal . . . and hope
God gives Hosea a difficult command-marry a prostitute in order to show God’s people the nature and depth of His love for Israel. When Hosea goes to Israel to proclaim the Lord’s message, the woman God directs him to marry turns out to be his childhood friend Gomer. He finds her broken and abused, unwilling to trust Hosea or his God. But when marrying Hosea becomes her only means of escape, Gomer does what she’s good at-she survives. Can Hosea’s love for God and God’s love for Israel restore Gomer’s broken spirit?
With her powerful combination of in-depth research and masterful storytelling, Mesu Andrews brings to life one of the most complex and fascinating stories of love and forgiveness in the face of utter betrayal.
My Thoughts:
“That’s what faithful prophets so. We keep obeying, and Yahweh works out the
details.” (p.44)
Hosea must trust God to work out some pretty difficult and
heartbreaking circumstances when He asks His prophet to marry a harlot. Gomer was sold into prostitution at a very
young age, and now, as an adult, she is steeped in the pagan ways of her
culture and has a heart of stone. At least she thinks she does. When she is bought by Hosea she faces a love
that it unfathomable in its depth and breadth. Yet she still believes she can
walk away from this great love back into the world of harlots that she knows so
well.
Obedience bears a great price in this particular story. Mesu Andrews captures all of the nuances of
the culture and realistically portrays the very human emotions of each
character in the story. You can begin to
understand some of Gomer’s choices when you read it in its historical
context. You also begin to see how our
sinful hearts depend totally on God’s mercy and grace when we seek to obey His
direction in our lives. The moment we
lean to our own understanding or allow our hearts to guide our steps….well, the
effects are anything but beautiful.
Gomer’s path is heartbreaking. Hosea’s path in no less difficult. There are times when you just weep for them
both. Both are being drawn by a love that reaches far beyond the scope of any
human relationship. This book is a
journey worth taking. But I will warn
you, God will move your heart to examine your love and obedience to Him in a new
light. It’s convicting. And that is a
very good thing!
About the Author:
Mesu Andrews is the author of Love Amid the Ashes and Love's Sacred Song. She is an active speaker who has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep understanding and love for God's Word, Andrews brings the biblical world vividly alive for her readers. She lives in Washington.
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