Saying that God hurts, Hosea places an amazing concept
before us. The Invincible God experiences pain. The
Designer God, Author of the Universe, feels the agony of
human refusal to return love, the love that helps and heals
the child. God hurts, ultimately, because God’s child hurts
and attracts more hurt.
The child attracts hurt by chasing puny gods that entice
but harm. Greed, as seen in the corporate malfeasance that
led to the 2008 economic collapse, is one of those gods.
Another is biased justice, as viewed in the current practice
of meting out capital punishment almost exclusively to the
financially disadvantaged. Individual unwillingness to forgive
serves as another puny god that calls forth God’s judgment.
Any act of lust, serving gods that abuse others while
serving selfish needs, makes a demand of God.
What demand? These idol-worshiping behaviors demand
the God-gift of wrath. God’s rage serves as much more than
an envious response of a spurned parent. Anger expressed
at mistreatment elevates the dignity of the oppressed one
and serves notice that victimization cannot and will not be
silently tolerated. God’s fury demands a defending response
to pain, a response that stops the unkindness.
God longs for our love, for us to be reconciled to God by
loving treatment of one another. Hosea reminds us that God’s
heart breaks when we fail to love and that God will gift our
failure with an angry response. It is not a threat. It is a promise!
Amazingly, even with the promised anger, God dares to
bring us home. Astonishing love it is—a love to be grateful
for but not to be taken for granted.
By Vance P. Ross from The Upper Room: 60 Days of Prayer for General Conference 2016