Betrothed Forever

You know the difference between someone saying they love you and someone signing a promise. Words can be taken back over coffee, but a signed promise has a date on it, and witnesses.

Hosea heard these words while his own wife was unfaithful to him. That marriage is the frame of the whole book. God had told Hosea, "Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms," and his broken marriage became a living picture of Israel turning away from God. So when God speaks the terms of His betrothal to His people, read carefully what is in them: "in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies," and in the next verse, "in faithfulness." There are five terms, and the second one is the one nobody quotes. Judgment, which means justice, is written right into the marriage vow. God is not offering a deal where the betrayal is treated as if it never happened. He puts the truth of it inside the terms, and binds Himself anyway. That is much sturdier than simply overlooking it. Nothing that comes to light later can prove that He did not know.

God also says "betroth" three times: "I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me," and then, "I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness." In Israel a betrothal was already binding before the couple shared a home or held a wedding. That is why Joseph, when he was only engaged to Mary, planned "to put her away privily."

So where is your loyalty divided right now? You know which screen, which person or which habit. You do not need to explain it here.

Tell Him once, in whatever words are really true, and then stop. Do not rush to make a plan or talk yourself into feeling better. Sit quietly for two or three minutes. The God who knew everything and promised Himself to His people "for ever" has not changed His mind about you.

Daily Manna runs on a two-year cycle. The year two reading for day 89 is The Fourth Watch (Matthew 14:30).

All 365 readings in Daily Manna