Hosea 3 - Addictions

 

Hosea 3- Addictions

 

Addictions are powerful enemies to our relationship with God. Whether the addiction is alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, web-surfing, shopping, or whatever addicted people can attest to their seeming inability to control their desires.

Gomer had an addiction. As a harlot, she sold herself for money. Hosea knew what he was getting in Gomer. She married Hosea, lived with him, and had children, but the children were not Hosea’s but children of her sinful ways. Despite Gomer’s actions, Hosea loved her. She sought comfort not in his love, but in her addiction. She ran to others who made love but did not love her. They used her and left her alone and empty. Then Hosea brought her back.

The story illustrates the power of love, and the faithfulness of God toward His sinful people. It also tragically illustrates the results of an addiction. For Gomer, her addiction pulled her away from her family and then left her alone and empty, needing to have Hosea pay a large amount of money to redeem her. No one else wanted her.           

 

Addictions usually begin very subtly, an experience, substance, or individual that brings pleasure begins to become an obsession. Eventually, the obsession takes control. Rarely can a person escape the addiction without some sort of intervention. Addicts must determine to change, replace the addictive substance with something more wholesome, and then finally find a way to meet their need differently. Addictions destroy individuals, families, friendships, reputations, and careers. Addictions make people victims of their own desires. Despite all this, God offers hope to the addict. God wants to free His people from anything that take His rightful place in their lives. He wants to show them that He can meet all their needs. With God’s help and the compassionate accountability of other believers, addicts can be set free, brought back. Jesus has already paid the price.

When Gomer was committing adultery. God told Hosea to bring her back and love her. Hosea could have refused; he could have had her stoned. Or he could have simply ignored God’s request. In obedience to God, Hosea went to Gomer and used his own money to buy her back. Reaching out after being rejected, being faithful to the unfaithful is difficult. Yet that is the kind of love God has shown us. God reaches out to us every day, calling us back to Him.

 

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Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible. J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible.