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-Small Groups -  Click here for information or to sign up for a Small Group

-The Music Man will be presented as our fall theatrical event...click here (www.ChristMemorialProductions.org) for full details and audition information. 

      Performances: November 13, 14,15 at 7:30 pm and November 16 at 2:00.

      Auditions: August 16 and 17 from 1- 5 PM..

Devotions

Hosea

Faithful Husband

Readings: Hosea 3:1-2 and Ephesians 5:29-32

The prophet Hosea married Gomer—a woman who did not have the best reputation (Hos. 1:2-3). After a time Gomer proved to be unfaithful. Her situation went from bad to worse. She eventually ended up as a slave. Hosea had every right to turn his back on her but he did not. With the Lord’s encouragement Hosea remained a faithful husband. “The LORD said to me, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods . . . ’ So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek [10 bushels] of barley” (Hos. 3:1-2). Gomer had done nothing to earn her husband’s kindness. Quite to the contrary, she did everything to earn his wrath. But Hosea (whose name means “salvation”) loved her consistently and saved her from a life of slavery.

Here we have a beautiful example of the great underserved love Jesus has for each one of us. Note the amount Hosea paid for Gomer, “fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek [10 bushels] of barley.” All together the payment totaled 30 shekels—just as Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver (Matt. 26:14-16). Thirty shekels of silver was the cost of a slave in ancient Israel (Ex. 21:32). Jesus was sold as a slave to free us from the slavery of sin. Such was His great love for us in spite of our unfaithfulness.

Like Gomer, in her relationship with Hosea, we too have been unfaithful in our relationship with the Lord. We have sinned against God and, like Gomer, we too deserve nothing but wrath. But God treats us just like Hosea treated his wife. Instead of rejecting us, He comes to us—in Jesus—with salvation. Jesus loves you with an endless love. You may even turn your back on Him and forsake Him, like Gomer did to Hosea. But Jesus will never stop loving you—just as the waiting father never stopped loving the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).

He loves you as much as a groom loves his bride. Solomon expresses that intense love in his special love song when he writes, “You have stolen my heart, . . . you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How delightful is your love. . . . How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!” (Song of Sol. 4:9-10). That’s how much Jesus loves you. You are indeed precious in His sight.

Just as the bond of love unite a husband and wife (Eph. 5:31), so also, the bond of love unites you with Christ. For Christ says to you, “I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness” (Hos. 2:19-20). You are His, now and always (Rev. 19:7-8).

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your great love. Even though I am undeserving and at times I have forsaken You, You have never forsaken me. In the midst of this everchanging and confusing world, I know I can always count on Your love. Amen.