Part 1: Cinderella: God Pursues

BLOCKBUSTERS - REMADE

PART - 1

“When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, He said to him, ‘Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.’”

Hosea 1:2 (NLT)

1. GOD PURSUES YOU EVEN WHEN YOU RUN FROM HIM.

“Their mother has been unfaithful and has conceived them in disgrace. She said, ‘I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my olive oil and my drink.’”

Hosea 2:5 (NIV)

“Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.”

Hosea 2:6 (NIV)

2. GOD KEEPS LOVING YOU EVEN WHEN YOU RUN FROM HIM.

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 53:6 (NIV)

“When she runs after her lovers, she won’t be able to catch them. She will search for them but not find them. Then she will think, ‘I might as well return to my husband, for I was better off with him than I am now.’ She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has—the grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to Baal.”

Hosea 2:7-8 (NLT)

“But now I will take back the ripened grain and new wine I generously provided each harvest season. I will take away the wool and linen clothing I gave her to cover her nakedness.”

Hosea 2:9 (NLT)

3. GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON YOU.

“The Lord said to me, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes. ‘So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley.’”

Hosea 3:1-2 (NIV)

• We’ve all gone Gomer, but God takes us as we are.

“But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.’”

Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

Hosea’s bizarre and heartbreaking marriage illustrates:

• The depth and pain of our sin toward God.

• The depth and commitment of God’s love toward us.

“I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and shower righteousness upon you.’”

Hosea 10:12 (NLT)

MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS TO:

• Do this week’s YouVersion® Bible App Reading Plan: “Redeeming Love” (5 day plan).

• Check out this week’s blog or podcast on “God Pursues.”

• Ask God to correct me, to rebuke me, and to encourage me with His love.

• Get more information about our next Baptism Day on July 25th.

NOTES:

Comeback Sunday--August 15th:

1. Attend in person or online.

2. Give financially - any amount.

3. Serve - somewhere Sunday or during the week.

4. Invite someone.