Hagar and Gomer. If you know their stories, their reputations, you likely won’t choose to name your daughters after them. One was a maidservant, used to bear a child; the other was a prostitute who couldn’t seem to stay faithful to her husband. These are not the Sunday school stories we retell in detail.
But for all their brokenness, all their ups and downs, these two women bear the testimony of God’s mercy. Let’s look at Gomer’s story together, then you’ll explore Hagar’s on your own. (A few weeks ago we visited the context of Hagar’s life with our study on Abraham and Sarah.)
This is our introduction to Gomer from Hosea 1:2-3: “When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, ‘Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord.’ So he married Gomer, daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.”
This might seem unfair to Hosea, but as usual, there’s a bigger picture to be seen. The Potter, in His unfathomable wisdom, is pleading for His wayward people in a poignant way throughout the story of Hosea and Gomer. The intensity of God’s love for His people can’t be denied.
We would do well to see ourselves less as the prophet and more as the prostitute, with hearts that eagerly grasp for security from anything and everything besides God. I stand right there convicted with you.
Later, Gomer, even after experiencing the security of Hosea’s faithful love, runs away to the arms of another. Hosea redeems her and brings her back home with a plea for her fidelity (Hosea 3:1-5). I can only imagine the looks from the neighbors.
God, however, has known all along that Gomer’s wanderings are actually the wake-up call she needs. Hosea chapter two captures the picture of our Husband-God allowing Gomer (His people) to chase after other lovers that will never satisfy. When we finally find ourselves in the wilderness, stripped bare of our idols and starving for something true, our prodigal hearts are ready to return home.
“And now, here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to start all over again. I’m taking her back out into the wilderness where we had our first date, and I’ll court her. I’ll give her bouquets of roses. I’ll turn Heartbreak Valley into Acres of Hope. She’ll respond like she did as a young girl, those days when she was fresh out of Egypt.” (Hosea 2:14-15 MSG)
The wilderness offers a merciful breaking. While we lean on our worldly comforts we can never lean on God, and He knows we won’t let go of our idols until we discover how worthless they truly are. His desire is to bless us, but that blessing is only found inside the safety of His exclusive embrace. When all else appears lost, God is most near.
Respond
What false comforts do you run to when life gets hard? How is God mercifully stripping those away?
Read
Genesis 16:1-13 and Genesis 21:8-21
Wonder
What questions do these verses stir in you?
Worship
How do you see God’s character revealed?
Walk it out
Where does it connect with your life? How can it help you walk closer to God?
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