Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Love and Grace (09/11/14)
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TITLE: Extraordinary Love and Grace | Previous Challenge Entry
By Verna Cole Mitchell
09/16/14 -
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He was just an ordinary man, a prophet,
With an obedient heart
And an everlasting faith
In God, the One True God of
Extraordinary love and grace.
With God’s permission,
He married a woman of ill repute, a prostitute.
They walked and talked
And sat at table together.
He shared with her
His home, his life, and his love.
They had two sons and a daughter,
All given their names by God Himself.
But . . . his wife was unfaithful
And left him for another lover
To live with him in adultery.
God told him to go and get her
And to buy her back for himself.
Forgiving her unfaithfulness,
He made payment for her
With silver and with barley.
He instructed her in worthiness
And he promised he would be to her
A husband once again.
God used this prophet’s life to represent
Extraordinary love and grace
He had bestowed on His people, Israel,
To whom he had betrothed Himself.
Though He would punish them
For their many infidelities,
When they’d return to seek His face,
He’d forgive them and restore them.
That same example of an ordinary man
Reminds God’s people still today
That because of His
Extraordinary love and grace,
God gave his only Son
For forgiveness of our sins,
And when we stray, the way is paid
By Jesus’ death and resurrection
For us to come back to Him.
*Based on Old Testament Book, Hosea
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You did a wonderful job capturing its beauty through prose.
Beautiful job.
God bless~
The story of Hosea & Gomer/God and His people, is very special to me in my own relationship with the Lord. There's so much good material in Hosea to poignantly expound God's love and grace! I'm happy you chose it to write about.
Honestly though, I found myself wishing you would have went a bit deeper, by showing Hosea's broken heart over his wife's unfaithfulness, and then his forgiving love with which he pursued her, as the Lord pursues prodigals. And then, ultimately he accepted her back. There's a lot of emotion there to draw from. You did that to some degree, and perhaps it is my own over familiarity with the story, which causes me to say that?
Anyway, you did a wonderful job as is, and I look forward to your next entry!
As for the subject matter, this is not a story I've had the opportunity to use very much over the years since I work in children's ministry
"Mr. Joe? What's a harlot?" Would be typical of the problems I'd face...and the parents - that thought makes me shudder. :)
Anyway, I agree that it is a great story of love and forgiveness and one that gets passed over way too often because too many are afraid to tackle it's controversial theme. But God thought it was worth telling, so maybe we should look as closely as possible, no matter how uncomfortable it makes.
Great job!