Hosea 1:2 “When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.’”

I was just talking to my daughter about leading by example the other day.  She was doing something at the lunch table that I didn't appreciate much and of course my son and his friend followed her immediately.  It was a small thing but I wanted her to understand that she is looked up to and teaches things to her brother even when she is not trying to.  I have always shied away from this story in Hosea.  It is hard to wrap my mind around such an extreme example.  Hosea is told to live out the life that Israel has been living to show them how badly they have fallen away.  As I read this I was thankful that I have not heard any such message from the Lord.  Hosea marries a prostitute to show that God has married Israel, who also prostitutes herself to other gods.   He has children with his prostitute wife to show how Israel has had children prostituting with other gods.  I never noticed the little word at the beginning of this verse “through.”

Lord,

Let the message of Hosea from long ago speak loud and clear to us today.  Let the audacity of his story show us how we need to change.  Guide our steps to lead by example in the way you would have us do.  Thank you for your steadfast love and forgiveness for all your children.  Amen.