What are we "Married" to?

So tonight I wanted to write a bit about something that has been on my mind.  After going to college group a few nights ago and hearing a very convicting message I have been pondering the notion of what am I "married" to?  By this I do not mean literally married, as I am still waiting for God to lead me to that right girl, however, I digress as this is a completely different topic.  But after reading a friends post  the other day  I sat down and started to read the book of Hosea.  For those of you who do not open these old, seemingly irrelevant books (like me) try them out you will be surprised at what God can teach you by going "old school."  So here is what is addressed in the opening chapters and what God brought to my attention through His Word.

God calls Hosea to go and marry a harlot and to have children with her.  She was of course unfaithful and turned to other men.  What was God's purpose for this, what did he intend to teach?  Ultimately His purpose was for Hosea (and us) to see and realize some of the pain in watching the one you love turn their back and seek after something else.    This was representative of the actions of Israel, and how they had turned their backs on God in order to serve idols and worship things other than the Lord.  This brought Him great heartache, to watch His people turn away from Him.  This is also How God feels every time we forsake our relationship with Him for other things.

So what does God want from us?  Does He want us to be Good and Follow Him?  Yes!  Of course He does.  However, God does not want us to simply "be good" and follow rules.  I am not saying that being moral and following His commandments is by any means indispensable.  However, he wants more than that!  He wants an undiluted relationship with us.  By this I mean He wants us to be completely focused on Him and seeking to grow and further our relationship.  He does not want us to be mere "acquaintances" on Sunday morning, or when we need Him to "work a miracle" in our lives.  He wants to have a personal, intimate relationship with us.  One like a marriage.  In Hosea 2:19-20 God says "And I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in loving kindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.  Then you will know the Lord."  With our "marriage" to Him we can experience God's righteousness, compassion, mercy, loving kindness, and grow in spiritual knowledge!  Thus, we must be in an intimate relationship with Him.  We must give Him our attention.  This brings in that question, what am I married to?  So often I forsake the richness of my relationship with God for trivial things that do not sustain.  So my prayer and and desire is to pursue this "marriage" with God above all else.  I want to grow in the knowledge of who He is and what His desire is for my life, that I might ultimately glorify Him above all else!

My hope is that this is encouraging to you as well.  Take a moment to think about the many things that you let get in the way of your relationship with God.  What are you "married" to?  Then pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and help to pursue your relationship with God above everything else.  Because we cannot simply desire to change and then follow through on our own.  We need to Holy Spirit to come upon us and help us, because it is by that power that we can change.

May you grow ever more in the grace and knowledge of of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity.  Amen.  -2 Peter 3:18

Grace and Peace, 

Peter