Love that will not let Go

Hosea 2 Love that will never let go

The Plight of the Sinner

Depravity that we Find v. 2 Plead with your mother, plead-- for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband - that she put away her whoring from her face, and her adultery from between her breasts;

Desire that we Follow v. 5 For she said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.

“Here is the opening up of what we are by nature, what our carnal mind is ever bent upon, what we do or are capable of doing, except as held back by the watchful providence, and unceasing grace and goodness of the Lord. These "lovers" of ours, are our old sins and former lusts that still crave for gratification. To these sometimes the carnal mind looks back and says, "Where are my lovers that gave me my food and drink? Where are those former delights that so pleased my vile passions, and so gratified my base desires?" These lovers unless subdued by sovereign grace, still work in our depraved nature, and seek to regain their former sway” (JC Philpot)

The Pursuit of the Savior v. 6-15

Hedge the Path around us v.6 Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths. 7 She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.' 8 And 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, which they used for Baal.

“The Lord, in his providence prevents the carnal mind from carrying out its base desires; hedges up the way with thorns, by which we may spiritually understand prickings of conscience, stings of remorse, pangs of penitence, which are so many thorny and briery hedges that fence up the way of transgression, and thus prevent the carnal mind from breaking forth into its old paths, and going after these former lovers to renew its ungodly alliance with them. A hedge of thorns being set up by the grace of God, the soul is unable to break through this strong fence, because the moment that it seeks to get through it or over it, every part of it presents a pricking brier or a sharp and strong thorn, which wounds and pierces the conscience. What infinite mercy, what surpassing grace, are hereby manifested! But these lacerating briers produce remorse of soul before God; for finding, as the Lord speaks, that "when she runs after her lovers, she won't be able to catch up with them. She will search for them but not find them," there comes a longing in her mind for purer pleasures and holier delights than her adulterous lovers could give her; and thus a change in her feelings is produced, a revolution in her desires. "Then she will say, I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now." (Philpot)

Hold Back Provisions from us v. 9 Therefore I will take back my grain in its time, and my wine in its season, and I will take away my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness. 10 Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and no one shall rescue her out of my hand. 11 And I will put an end to all her mirth, her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her appointed feasts. 12 And I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, of which she said, 'These are my wages, which my lovers have given me.' I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall devour them. 13 And I will punish her for the feast days of the Baals when she burned offerings to them and adorned herself with her ring and jewelry, and went after her lovers and forgot me, declares the LORD.

Humble us in His Presence v14 "Therefore, behold,

The Savior Pursuits Us

· Draws us I will allure her, Jer 31:3

· Detaches us and bring her into the wilderness,

· Dialogues with us and speak tenderly to her.

· Develops fruit in us 15 And there I will give her vineyards John 15:8

· Declares Hope for us and make the Valley of Achor (trouble) a door of hope. Josh 7:26

The Saints Praise Him And there she shall answer (sing) as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. Song of Moses Ex14:30-15:21, Ps 106:1-48

“God speaks to the heart—that is the special characteristic of his voice. Men may speak to the ear, and they can do no more; but God speaks to the heart, for it is there that his voice alone is heard. But in the wilderness we learn the deep necessity there is, that God should speak to our heart. We need the Lord himself to speak—and the Lord alone; and to speak such words as shall reach our heart and enter with a divine power into our conscience. When you are in the wilderness, you have no friend, no creature help, no worldly comfort—these have all abandoned you. God has led you into the wilderness to bereave you of these earthly ties, of these 'creature refuges' and 'vain hopes'—that he may himself speak to your soul. If, then, you are separated from the world by being brought into the wilderness—if you are passing through trials and afflictions—if you are exercised with a variety of temptations—and are brought into that spot where the creature yields neither help nor hope, then you are made to see and feel that nothing but God's voice speaking with power to your soul, which can give you any solid ground of rest or peace. Thus in the wilderness we learn not only the most painful, but the most profitable lessons that God can teach us. There we are stripped of all our own righteousness—there we see the end of all our own wisdom—and there all our native strength and creature confidence fail and give way—and come to nothing. But as these fail, they teach us the necessity, the indispensable necessity of looking to the Lord that he may be our all in all. God himself must speak to your heart, or you have nothing on which you can hang—nothing to which you can look. Is not this profitable? It may be painful; it is painful; but it is profitable, because by it we learn to look to the Lord and the Lord alone—and this must ever be a blessed lesson to learn for every child of God.”

The Position of the Saint

Reaffirmation v 16 "And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me 'My Husband,' and no longer will you call me 'My Baal.' 17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.

Refuge18 And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety.

Renewal19 And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD.

Restoration 21 "And in that day I will answer, declares the LORD, I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth, 22 and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil, and they shall answer Jezreel, 23 and I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People,'You are my people'; and he shall say, 'You are my God.'"

Singing, in scripture, is always connected with joy and gladness, and especially after a release from captivity; for to sing his praise is the instinctive feeling of the soul when experimentally blessed. But 'Zion in the wilderness' had forgotten her ancient song, nor could she sing it again until the Lord spoke comfortably to her heart. She could sigh and groan, weep and lament, but no joyful song could she raise, for her harp was hung upon the willows, and in that strange land she could not sing the Lord's song. (Psalm. 137:2, 4.) But no sooner does the Lord begin to speak comfortably to her in the wilderness, give her vineyards from thence, and open the door of hope in the valley of Achor, than a new song is put into her mouth, even a song of praise and thanksgiving to her God. Have you not sometimes been obliged to burst forth into a song of praise to the God of all your mercies for an unexpected visit of his gracious presence, or for some discovery of his goodness, mercy, and love? This is singing as in the days of your youth—those youthful days not only in nature but also in grace, when the Lord made himself very near, dear, and precious to your soul—and the world and sin were put under your feet. Many changes may we have seen since then; many lusts and corruptions may have been brought to light; much unbelief discovered; many backslidings and departings from the Lord have been committed, over the painful recollection of, we may have still to sigh and mourn. But the Lord, who has begun his gracious work upon the sinner's heart, never leaves or forsakes the operation of his own hands Phil 1:6, Jude 24-25 for whom he loves, he loves unto the end and nothing shall be able to separate us form His love Rom 8:38-39.

“Did you say that you are too busy to pray? Did you say there are so many distractions that you don't have time study the Word? Oh, we are so busy, aren't we? We have two jobs, five classes, and many, many other things to do. God, you understand. We are so very busy. There are many, many things we have to do. How can we have time to pray and read? What does God do? He will strip us of all our distractions and lead us into a desert. Are there distractions in the desert? Not really. What about that sickness you find yourself having--are there any distractions there? Not many. No one can take God's people out of his hand. So in love and discipline he leads us into the desolation of the desert, where there is no water, no food, no light, no heat, no protection--nothing. It is just you and God, your husband.

Do you have time to pray in the desert? Oh, yes. And not only that, you must pray in the desert. Your riches are gone, so now you have to find something to eat. It is cold, and you will need some heat. It is dark and isolated, so you will need a light and protection at night and a shade by day. You become forced to look to God, and all of a sudden you do begin to pray and seek the Lord. Oh, yes, God knows how to deal with us. And when we begin to pray, praise be to God, God will listen. This is love that will not let you go. All distractions will be gone. It will be just you and your God in the desert, communing in love. So God ordains circumstances that are designed to remove distractions from us and cultivate relationship with him. Did you say you were too busy? You will not be busy in the desert. You have a lot of time to pray. You will read God's word and begin to listen to the word of God preached with all attention. (PGM) Before, it was a bother. Before, you said, "This man has been preaching the same old thing all these years. He says nothing new. Same old thing." But when God deals with us, we will say, "Preach it, Pastor! Don't stop now. Tell me again and again the story of Jesus and his love." (PG Matthew)

The pursuing Love of God is the greatest wonder of the spiritual universe. We leave God in the heat of our own self-desire and run from His will because we want so much to have our own way. We get to a crossroads and look back in pride, thinking that we have outdistanced Him. Just as we are about to congratulate ourselves on our achievement of self-enthronement, we feel a touch on our arm and turn in that direction to find Him there. “My child.” He says in a great tenderness, “I love you; and when I saw you running away from all that is good, I pursued you . . . “ We tear ourselves free form his grasp and rush off again, through deepest woods and farthest swamps, and as we look back again, we are sure, this time, that we have succeeded in escaping from Him. But, once more, the touch of love is on our sleeve and when we turn quickly we find that He is there, pleading with the eyes of love, and showing Himself once more to be the tender and faithful One, loving to the end. He will always say, “My child, my name and nature are love, and I must act according t that which I am. So that is why I have pursued you, to tell you that when you are tired of your running and your wandering, I will be there to draw you to myself once more (Barnhouse)

Come thou fount of every blessing 1745 Robert Robinson

Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood; How His kindness yet pursues me Mortal tongue can never tell, Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.