Speaking Of Life 1035 | God Shows Who He Is
Michelle Fleming
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey likes to tell about one of her most important life lessons. As a younger woman, she would wait by the phone for a young man who promised to call but never did. She made excuses for him until her mentor wisely said, “My dear, when someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
This phrase reminds me of the Old Testament prophet Hosea. In the book of Hosea, we read that God commanded the prophet to marry a prostitute named Gomer. As the story goes on, each time Gomer bears a child, she’s once again unfaithful to Hosea. The children are given symbolic names which tell about God’s frustration with Israel.
Before you think the lesson is about Hosea seeing Gomer as she really was, the actual lesson of the book is about God. No matter how many times Gomer cheated on Hosea, God told him to take her back, love her and care for her and their children.
God was teaching Hosea a lesson about his love for Israel. Notice what he said:
Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ (Hosea 1:10)
This Bible story is showing much more than the relationship problems of an ancient prophet. It’s a metaphor that reveals God’s faithfulness to Israel. No matter how many times Israel turned away from him – including worshipping other gods – God was faithful. His love and provision remained a constant.
Through this story, God is revealing what his character is like. It gives us assurance knowing that God’s character is not like ours. We sometimes let others down; but God never lets us down.
Hosea is only one example. The Bible is filled with illustrations of God revealing himself in love to his beloved children. The ultimate revealing of his love is Jesus – who is the physical expression and incarnation of God’s love for humanity. We’re included in Jesus; as it tells us in Colossians 2 verse 13:
And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with [Jesus], when he forgave us all our trespasses.
It’s reassuring to know that despite our tendency to mess things up, God is always faithful.
God is continually showing us who he is. He constantly reveals his love for and acceptance of humanity as part of his character – a love that isn’t dependent on anything we do. When God shows you who he is, believe him.
I am Michelle Fleming, Speaking of Life.
