In the book of Hosea, we read of the prophet’s passionate pursuit of his unfaithful wife, Gomer. Despite her infidelity and hard-heartedness, Hosea relentlessly seeks to win her back. His actions mirror Yahweh’s covenant love for wayward Israel.
Hosea’s pursuit illustrates the frustration often felt on both sides of redemption. The unfaithful despise the pursuit, while the pursuer becomes jaded, trying to reach stubborn hearts. Yet this difficulty reflects the immense value God places on the lost. As Christ’s parable shows, the Great Shepherd tirelessly seeks the one lost sheep.
The Frustration of the Pursued
The wayward soul often feels frustrated by the passionate pursuit of preachers, friends, and family seeking their redemption. Convicted by the word of God, they are called to repent and return to a right relationship with Him. But we often wish to revel in our infidelity, addiction, anger, and bitterness and worship ourselves, politics, and personal might.
Like Gomer, the wayward crave independence and self-rule. We want the pleasures of this world over the wisdom of God. As Hosea declares, “She did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on her silver and gold” (Hosea 2:8). Though every good gift comes from God, the unfaithful arrogantly claim autonomy.
Rather than heed faithful warnings, the lost scorn them. The worst thing that can happen to us is to get what we want. Bonhoeffer describes the message that our unfaithful heart desires, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” To resist redemption is to prefer spiritual death. Don’t let the frustration of being pursued blind you to the relentless love of God.
The Frustration of the Pursuer
Recently, I sat in Bible study where the statement was made applying the principle of Hosea. “The greatest thing the church has to offer is the relentless pursuit of Gomer” (the unfaithful). When every institution in the world would look on and say, “This is not worth it” or “We should give up,” – the body of Christ looks to the cross and says, “No price is too high.”
Despite this, those seeking the lost often grow weary and frustrated. The work can seem thankless as calls to repentance go unheeded. Godly counsel is ridiculed and rejected. The faithful lament with Jeremiah: “I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me” (Jeremiah 20:7).
Pursuing the lost and unfaithful evokes Christ’s parable of the lost sheep. The shepherd spends relentless effort on the one straying lamb. Meanwhile, the compliant sheep remain safely in the fold.
This focus perplexes onlookers. Poet Francis Thompson wrote, “The Hound of Heaven” relentlessly pursues the heart who would escape his “unhurrying chase.” That heavenly Hound will run as far and labor as needed to catch his prize. A soul estranged from God is worth any effort. Still, the work takes its toll on the pursuers God uses to do His work in the world. Like Hosea, they struggle to reach cold hearts. The faithful grow weary and discouraged when stony ground yields no fruit.
Yet they must show long-suffering compassion. As Jude exhorts, “Of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire” (Jude 1:22-23). Spurgeon emphasized having “bowels of compassion” when engaging the lost. Without grace, the faithful become frustrated and bitter.
Conclusion
Hosea’s pursuit of Gomer illustrates God’s redeeming love for the lost. Though the unfaithful scorn correction, the Lord ceaselessly calls them home. Pursuers must emulate His patience and compassion. As Billy Graham declared, “God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’” Giving up on the lost and unfaithful in their present condition is the most unloving act. Despite deaf ears, let us faithfully sow the seed of God’s word. His purposes will be fulfilled.
Action Steps
- Pray for compassion and grace in pursuing and being pursued. Ask God to soften hard hearts.
- Build relationships with the wayward. Lovingly speak Biblical truth. Avoid compromise.
- Study Hosea and Christ’s parables on pursuing the lost. Meditate on God’s redeeming love for you.
- Don’t take rejection personally. Keep lovingly imploring. Remember, they reject God’s call.
- Remain hopeful in sowing God’s word. His purposes stand though the lost seem unreachable.
- Cry out to God when discouraged. Avoid bitterness. Let His love fill your heart.
- Rejoice at every small sign of openness to the gospel. Celebrate when prodigals return.
Our task is to pursue, trusting God with the results faithfully. By His grace, even hard hearts melt before persistent, loving redemption. Let us be His hands to the lost.
Josh Cehulik 