Forgiveness, Mercy, and Grace

Even When It's Not Deserved

Forgiveness, mercy, and grace. These three words are powerful words that many of us struggle with. I sure do! I hold grudges and want to stew in my anger for a while. But if we truly love someone, we must be willing to put these words into action. This means that we will choose to release our ill feelings of someone and have compassion for that person, even when they don’t deserve it.

The story of Hosea is a great illustration of a husband showing forgiveness, mercy, and grace to a wife that certainly didn’t deserve it. The more I have thought about the story of Hosea, the more it sounds like a modern-day story than a biblical one. It is a story of betrayal. Maybe it is because I can see the modern comparison that this story has become one of my favorite Bible stories. It is a story of a husband’s love for his wife, that parallels God’s love for His unfaithful children of Israel.

Hosea, a prophet, is told by God to marry a woman who would become a prostitute. Wait...what? Yes, if you don’t know the story, God commands Hosea to marry her in order to show Israel how they had been treating the God who loved and cared for them.

After marrying Hosea and having children with him, Gomer leaves and pursues a life of prostitution. Once Gomer is no longer wanted, she is sold into slavery. Hosea pays for his wife in order to free and redeem her. He buys her with all of the money that he has. He did not purchase her to be his slave, he purchased her to free her from the bondage that she would have otherwise had to endure. The Israelites were practicing idolatry. God used Hosea to teach the Israelites that He is a forgiving, gracious, and merciful God that wants to save His people from bondage.

Would Hosea have chosen to take her back if God had not commanded him to? That’s hard to say, but I believe he loved her enough to forgive her. He extended mercy and grace in an extreme circumstance that I believe all of us would find hard to forgive.

So many times I have read the story of Hosea and have focused on Gomer and her sin. It’s easy to judge, but she got distracted by things that looked better than what she had at home. All of us from time to time get distracted by things that look better. This reminds me of the saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” Gomer saw life this way, even though she had a loving husband at home. But she soon found out that her “fun” couldn’t last forever.

Here is a question to ponder...did Hosea forgive and forget? There are a few instances in my marriage that even though I have offered forgiveness, I still can’t forget. Have you ever had an injury that once in a while still bothers you years later? The injury is healed, but you have a reminder of the pain. Many times emotional pain is the same way. There are times that we have reminders of past hurts. I think that’s just part of our human nature. But when God offers forgiveness, he wipes the slate clean. Isaiah 43:25 says “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins (ESV).” God offers true forgiveness when we sin. He doesn’t keep a list of the things we have done wrong. He loves us despite the hurt, He grants us the mercy to not punish us as we deserve, and the grace to give us blessings instead.

The story of Hosea may not be the Hallmark love story or fairy tale we are used to watching or reading. But it is a deeper, more meaningful love. Granting grace, mercy, and forgiveness is the choice we make when we don’t feel love. When it’s hard, we can choose to look past the circumstance and see beyond the hurt. 1 Colossians 3:13 says, "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you" ( NIV). God offers these things freely, as a gift. Next time you want to be angry, forgive quickly and offer mercy and grace. It will bring you freedom as well.

Dear Lord, you know I struggle to offer forgiveness, mercy, and grace. I hold on to my hurt feelings and hard heart. Lord help me to release these hurts to you so that I can forgive as you forgive. Help me to not feel anger and resentment when those hurts resurface from time to time. Help me to love as you love and see beyond the hurt. Thank you for always showing me forgiveness, mercy, and grace even when I don’t deserve it. Amen

Journal prompt: Are there any past hurts that I need to release to God? Is there anyone that I need to offer forgiveness, mercy, and grace? If there is, what steps do I need to take in order to offer them?