Hosea 1:

• It has always frightened me to think that God would call someone to a life like Hosea’s. God is not asking him to merely preach a message or tell a story. God is meddling with Hosea’s quality of life. He is called to this dishonorable relationship of marrying a prostitute (vs. 2). Then he is commanded to have children with her (vs. 2) and to give them offensive names (vs. 4, 6, and 9) This was to show people God’s view of how Israel had treated Him and how He was now relationally positioned with them (vs. 10-11).
• Does God still “prophetically” meddle with His people’s lives? I cannot see why not. For the observer, will we have the eyes to see what God is teaching? Do we know Him, His ways, and His will enough to learn the lessons? For the “prophet,” can we faithfully endure the call? Will we be content to play the role of this character in God’s story?

LORD, to begin to speculate what Your meddling in our affairs might look like today is too painful to ponder. Still, I pray that You give strength to Your children. That they would faithfully endure until, by grace, You might make sense of it all for them.