Monday, April 28, 2014

A Devotional for Women from Tyndale House Publishers

I love receiving this daily devotional from Tyndale House right into my inbox. They're short and easy to read but always have a nugget of something I need for the day. I look at them as God's gentle reminder to take time to reflect and meditate on Him and what he has done for me! They don't, nor are expected to, replace daily reading in His Word, the Holy Scripture. I use them to complement study.

Check out their list of devotionals here. Sign up is easy peasy!

And they have a terrific rewards program at Tyndale Rewards. You can earn points toward Tyndale products just by signing up!
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Monday April 28, 2014
So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave Hosea a son.
Hosea 1:3, NLT
It is difficult to imagine Hosea's feelings when God told him to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him. He may not have wanted to do it, but he obeyed. He married a woman named Gomer. Hosea knew ahead of time that his wife would be unfaithful and that their married life would become a living object lesson to the adulterous northern kingdom. Hosea's marriage to an unfaithful woman would illustrate God's relationship to the unfaithful nation of Israel.

What did Gomer think and feel? What was her reaction when a holy man plucked her out of a life of prostitution and made her his wife? The original language doesn't say Gomer was already a prostitute but a promiscuous woman--a girl with a reputation. Just the girl all the boys want to know but no one wants to love, the very motivation that often causes her behavior. Did Gomer believe Hosea could love her? One assumes that Hosea had a choice of several wanton women with whom he could have obeyed God's command. Why did he choose Gomer? We don't know.

Hosea and Gomer had three children together. She was apparently unfaithful for a while, but Hosea bought her back from her enslavement. She had sold herself into prostitution. Did this second chance mean anything to Gomer? We only know that Hosea "laid down the law" about Gomer staying at home and chaste for "many days." If the parallels hold, Hosea 3:3-5 may indicate that Gomer put her past behind her and became devoted to her marriage.

Probably the closest we come to feeling what Gomer felt are those times when we act unfaithfully towards God yet he continues to faithfully lavish his love on us. We know Gomer better than we might think at first, for she was what we are--sinners offered overwhelming grace! Yet how often, even when we understand the lengths God has gone for us, do we treat his grace lightly!

God often required extraordinary obedience from his prophets who were facing extraordinary times. God may ask you to do something difficult and extraordinary too. If he does, how will you respond? Will you obey him, trusting that he who knows everything has a special purpose for his request? Will you be able to accept the fact that the pain involved in obedience may benefit those you serve and not you personally?

God's presence and truth can be found even in the most shameful situations.
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Have a blessed day in the Lord!


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7 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for sharing this. Will definitely sign up and it will be my perfect morning devotional while i am away on an upcoming trip!

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  2. Signed up and looking forward to getting this!

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  3. I'm so glad you liked it, Jeanne, and signed up for it! I've been getting them for over a year now. Enjoy!!! Oh, and I hope you have fun on your trip :)

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  4. Thanks for the resource info, Anne. Bible Gateway has some great devotionals, too! Right now I'm getting Charles Spurgeon and C.S. Lewis from them, but I like to change it up every year, so I will definitely book mark this site, Thanks!

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  5. June, I love Bible Gateway! I use it all the time. You're right in that it has some great resources. I'll have to look into the CS Lewis one. Thanks for coming by!

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  6. Dear Anne, I really like this idea for having this delivered into my mail box! I want to thank you for Linking Up with this Link today, I hope you will come each week and share. When I got up this morning it was not working as the widget would not appear! Then I knew this was going to be trial of working and learning this new curve in my blogging! Thanks for your friendship!
    Blessings, Roxy

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  7. Roxy, I always enjoy your link ups. I think you will love this program from Tyndale!

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I am so delighted that you've taken time to come by and comment. Blessings for a joy-filled day!

1 Corinthians 1:3 ~ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.