Hosea 2: Expectation
Thursday, January 9, 2025
What does God expect of me?
Where is God?
How can God expect so much from me?
Why does God allow me to feel so alone, exasperated, angry or sad?
If we hear ourselves asking these questions frequently, we may need to think of them as inversions.
What do I expect of God?
Where have I put God in my life?
Why do I ask so little of God?
Why do I forget God or turn away from God’s love when I am alone, exasperated, angry or sad?
Today we re-read the prophecy of Hosea, the man who married an adulterous wife and we focus on Chapter 2 to find a description of Gomer, the unfaithful wife. Metaphorically, Gomer is each of us when we reject the conditions in which we find ourselves. As difficult as our problems may be, they are our stepping stones to self-discovery . . . and to serenity. Once we learn to turn everything over to God, the sorrow and anger slip away. And we are at peace with the circumstances surrounding us.
Today’s Gospel is John’s story of the feeding of thousands (6:1-15) and we might look at how Jesus asks the disciples how they want to feed so many – John writes: He said this to test them. This does not mean that Jesus wants to throw his friends into turmoil; rather, he wants to see how they hope to solve the problem before them. Do they resort to their own resources, or do they rely on God in any way?
We must remember to ask for miracles, because God wants to grant them.
We must remember to take our woes to God, because God welcomes them and erases them.
We must remember to leave our sadness in God’s hands, because God heals all mourning with deep and abiding love.
Hosea laments his unfaithful wife. God misses us when we stray. Why do we try to solve everything on our own? And why do we expect so little from a generous, loving God?
A Favorite from May 6, 2011.
For a video lesson on Hosea and Gomer, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XerNMZNmKF0
Image from: https://shop.charliemackesy.com/p/782/prodigal-daughter-print
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