"I want you to know me"

The prophet Hosea delivers God's message of persistent love to an unfaithful Israel. The 14 chapters of this book of the bible are heartbreaking - not just because of Israel's rebellion against the Lord, not just because they do not know what they are missing, or what blessings they have already been given, or because they are seeking life elsewhere. What brought a sharp pain to my chest and tears to my eyes today was realizing the pain of a Father who aches for His people.

He is heartbroken for us.

The beginning of Hosea tells the story of Gomer, the prostitute God tells Hosea to marry (anyone who's read Redeeming Love should be well versed in this passage). It's an incredible look at the way the Father loves. He loves when we are sinful (which we are, always), when we refuse to acknowledge Him (which we do, daily), and when we don't deserve it (which we don't, ever). He loves us even though we hurt Him, again and again and again. His love is tender and persistent. Perhaps my favorite part of this story comes in 2:14, when God says "But then I will win her back once again, I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there."

Do you realize that the Lord is chasing you into the desert? Do you understand what that means? Do you know that in this instant, you are being pursued by the most intimate, incredible, VICTORIOUS, everlasting love? Can you fathom that? Can you soak that up and be alright with it? I can't. I can't get over that. I can't get my fill of that knowledge and I can't stop tears of gratitude when I recognize that truth. Even in my weakest, ugliest moments - no, especially in my weakest, ugliest moments, the Lord loves me and is winning me back.

There are no words to describe the joy of that.

And there are no words to describe how much I ache when I realize that I am Israel, every single day.

How often my life is characterized by a turning away. It's so easy - to look for love where the world says to find it, to put joy in what I own, to think about my appearance rather than my soul, to fill up on hate and anger and my warped ideas of justice.
It's so easy to break the heart of the one who loves me the most.

Later on in Hosea, God says "I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings" (6:6)
Such a simple request, and yet, I struggle. I cannot even count the number of times I've gone to Him this summer in tearful prayer, asking "Lord, show me how to love these people in poverty, show me how to love my friends in high school, show me how to love my family, show me how to love other people." And do you know what the Lord's answer has been? -
"No. Let me first show you how to love me."

Like Israel, I'm in the learning process. I'm discovering what it means to faithfully and fully love the God who created me. In Hosea, God pleads with Israel to repent and turn to Him. He offers us the same thing - He asks us to stop loving the things of this world and to start loving Him. And this is not a selfish thing for Him to request. He is inviting us into the most intimate relationship through which we are filled with life given out of supreme love.

This isn't something that should become stale or old news or unremarkable. It is truly the most magnificent fact of truth in the universe - that you and I are adored beyond measure by God. I hope it brings me to my knees again and again and again. I hope I never stop asking how to accept it and how to love Him back. It's not easy....actually, I think the more accurate way to put it would be to say that it is easy, but in my human brokenness I expect it to be impossible and complex. Almost daily, I want to throw my hands up and say, "God, what do you want me to do here?"

And every time I do, my soul hears this simple reminder, this sweet, whispered reply-

"I want you to know me."