What are you worth?

 

What are you worth?

I read the book of Hosea. Gomer was a prostitute (a harlot). She was desired, lusted after, and wanted by men. They would give her fine clothes, and jewelry of silver and gold. She had all the material possessions she wanted. She was not the type of girl a man would marry; she had accepted that fate. I am sure she must have been puzzled when Hosea pursued her, not in a way she had become accustomed to, but with unconditional love. He would marry her. Even after marriage and children, she would run back to her life of prostitution. She would be hungry, used, and on the streets. Hosea would go back after her, pay for her (buy her), and bring her home again.

Not many pastors share the story of Hosea and Gomer from the pulpit, for obviously reasons. A church full of innocent children and the story of prostitution probably would not be a popular choice. However, I heard the story three times in that one year. I cannot recall ever hearing anyone preach on the book of Hosea prior to that year, and I have not heard it since. Truly the greatest love story ever told, a story of a man that pursues a woman with Godly intentions, unconditional love, and forgiveness in his heart. Furthermore, the book of Hosea is a story of how God continues to forgive and pursue his people.

I’ve never liked the name Gomer for this woman; I grew up in the days of Andy Griffith and the name Gomer reminds me of Gomer Pyle (a character in the TV show). Hosea sounds like Hannah or something similar, a girl’s name.

Just as Gomer ran back to her old life, and Hosea went after her. I felt like God was telling me to go after “Gomer” (Dean). He was so unworthy of forgiveness from me; after all, consider all he had done. I did not think I could ever forget the past, much less forgive those events. I was right, I could not. Only through God would I be able to forgive. I would surrender those memories; they were God’s, and I could no longer hold on to the hurt.

In my pride, I could list everything Dean had done wrong. Only through spiritual maturity would I come to realize that I too am Gomer. God had forgiven me again and again, He pursued me, He forgave me, and He continues to chase after me. I am unworthy of God’s forgiveness, but He gave it anyway. I too run back to things; God pursues me. I thought I would be doing Dean a great favor to forgive him. Time would show me that the one who would receive the greatest blessings would be me.

I shared this story with the women at the jail. The eight women around the table listened silently. A few commented that going back to their life was “easier”. The drugs, homelessness, and no responsibility was easier than trying to stay clean and failing people’s expectations. All the women have “kids” on the outside. I challenged their comments. “Jail is easy? Drugs and staying high is easy? Homelessness is easy? Being away from your kids is easy?” I continued, “You can’t fool me…. It is HARD! Choose your hard! Sobering up is hard! Being high all the time is hard. Is this what you want for your kids?” I explained how they too were Gomer. They didn’t know their worth. They couldn’t accept the unconditional love of Jesus. Many of them looked down and their eyes filled with tears. They too did not believe they were worth anything better. I said the believer’s prayer with them, asking Jesus into their lives and to save them.

Are you a Gomer? Do you keep settling for less than what God has for you? Do you keep returning to your previous life? A dog returns to its vomit (Proverbs 26:11 and 2 Peter 2:22). 

Will you take time this week to pray for these women to find their worth and identity in Christ?

 

 

Read Hosea Chapters 1-3 to read more about this story. Read Proverbs 26 and 2 Peter 2.