Hosea 1:10 begins chapter 2 in the Hebrew Bible so begin there as you read today's passage.
Adultery is an horrific sin. Any of you who have walked there know the pain. Any of you who have watched people you love walk there know something of the pain. Relationships are torn apart ... families are ripped wide open ... it is all about loss. That is just on the physical level. Hosea lives out the physical form so that Israel will have a live demonstration of the spiritual form. As a nation ... as God's chosen people ... as His elected nation to show the world His character and love ... they have committed adultery against Him.
Yet ... in the face of such extreme violation and pain ... after the necessity of extreme discipline and pain ... we hear God say, "I will allure her ... I will speak kindly to her ... I will open a door of hope ... she will call me 'husband' not 'master' ... I will betroth her to me forever ... in righteousness, justice, loving kindness, compassion, faithfulness ... I will say 'You are My people!' And they will say, 'You are my God'!"
Such hope. Such promise. Such security. Such love. And that is OUR God! A God who loves with such passion and steadfastness that He WILL NOT LET YOU GO! He will allow sin to take its payment because without that ... we would never return to Him. He will apply discipline because without that ... we would continue on our self-indulgent way to destruction.
Spiritual adultery cause pain to the heart of God more deeply than even physical adultery causes pain to the hearts of men and women. I desperately do not want to commit spiritual adultery! Are you with me?! To avoid something, we must know what it is. So what is spiritual adultery anyway?
We know from our earlier readings of the Prophets that spiritual adultery is idolatry. So how does that play out in our lives - in 21st century America? I believe it plays out through worldliness ... our love of, even fascination with, the things of this world. When the things of this world take precedence in our lives over God ... we are moving into an adulterous relationship with the world ... leaving our "first love". Pray fervently for eyes to see yourself and where you are in this discussion. Listen to these words from scripture ...
1 John 2: 15 - 17 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."
This passage lets me know that Satan would have me focused on my own pleasure ... on my own wants and desires ... on my own accomplishments and status. When I allow myself to put my focus there ... I am ripe for an adulterous relationship with the world as my lover. Hebrews 12:2 says to "fix your eyes on Jesus." That's the only antidote ..
James 4: 1 - 4 "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."
This passage lets me know that my wants and pleasures lead me into all kinds of anti-God behaviors and attitudes. It is pride that leads me to believe I deserve all I desire. Am I willing to leave my God who loves me with the kind of passion and faithfulness that we read about in Hosea? Am I willing to fight against my God who WILL NOT LET ME GO? Friendship with the world progresses into a love relationship with the world ... and I walk willingly into spiritual adultery.
Oh God ... I confess my own tendency to love the world and the things of the world! Forgive me for violating your heart and my relationship with You. My heart's desire is to have an honest, passionate relationship with You as my true love ... my true partner.
I close with the words of T. O. Chisholm, written in 1905 ...
Only in Thee, O Savior mine,
Dwelleth my soul in peace divine,
Peace that the world, tho all combine,
Never can take from me.
Pleasure of earth, so seemingly sweet,
Fail at the last my longings to meet;
Only in thee my bliss is complete,
Only dear Lord, in Thee!
Only in Thee, dear Savior, slain,
Losing Thy life my own to gain,
Trusting, I'm cleanses from every stain;
Thou art my only plea.
Only in Thee my heart will delight,
Till in that land where cometh no night
Faith will be lost in heavenly sight,
Only, dear Lord, in Thee!
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