Unorthodox Decision-Making
When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. (Hosea 1:2-3)
It’s one thing to say that we should be open to God speaking and moving in unorthodox ways, but it’s another thing to live it. Hosea, the prophet of God, the man of God, had to be embarrassed when his relationship and marriage fell outside the norms of society.
Can you imagine the conversation when Hosea sat down with his parents to tell them about his new bride? Can you imagine the conversation when he told his boys about his new boo thang, and had to learn that several of them had used her services? Talk about embarrassment. Talk about shame. Talk about the feeling of failure as you have to walk around every day carrying the weight of a life that’s not approved by the public.
But maybe that’s just the point; that God wants us to reach a point in our relationship with Him where we are willing to be disapproved by people if it means being approved by God.
Paul has encouragement to offer us on this topic in the book of Galatians when he wrote, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
Our goal as followers of Christ should be to honor Him with our decision making, not appease the people around us. We might not always make a decision that’s considered popular among our peers; but if it’s a decision the Lord is leading us to make, then we must be confident as we obey and follow Him.
It’s one thing to say that we should be open to God speaking and moving in unorthodox ways, but it’s another thing to live it. Hosea, the prophet of God, the man of God, had to be embarrassed when his relationship and marriage fell outside the norms of society.
Can you imagine the conversation when Hosea sat down with his parents to tell them about his new bride? Can you imagine the conversation when he told his boys about his new boo thang, and had to learn that several of them had used her services? Talk about embarrassment. Talk about shame. Talk about the feeling of failure as you have to walk around every day carrying the weight of a life that’s not approved by the public.
But maybe that’s just the point; that God wants us to reach a point in our relationship with Him where we are willing to be disapproved by people if it means being approved by God.
Paul has encouragement to offer us on this topic in the book of Galatians when he wrote, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
Our goal as followers of Christ should be to honor Him with our decision making, not appease the people around us. We might not always make a decision that’s considered popular among our peers; but if it’s a decision the Lord is leading us to make, then we must be confident as we obey and follow Him.
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