Hosea 11
Does love really look
like this?
I've been moved by
the recent story line in Downton Abbey where Mrs Crawley has taken in Ethel.
Ethel, a former Downton servant who fell pregnant to a recuperating
soldier who subsequently died was forced to leave her service at Downton and
fend for herself. With little love shown to single parents Ethel resorted
to prostitution to feed herself and her child.
Graciously Mrs
Crawley eventually takes Ethel in as her cook and house made, prepared to take
the shame that this action might bring on her 'good' name, and we begin to see
this lovely little story of redemption unfold.
Love it seems is
as much a verb as it is a noun.
The story of The
Prodigal Son, similar in so many ways to Hosea, is a case in point. The
father ran to the prodigal. He hugged him, clothed him and organised a great
party for him. I want to see this world more like the father sees it - I
write that carefully. His love was painful, costly and outrageous.
It made, in the world's eyes, a fool of him, but it is where life is at.
It's where the party is. Where grace, mercy and love meet.
Mrs Crawley, Hosea,
and the prodigal's Dad show me something of what it means to love like the
Father.
With gay abandon and
with the security of our Father's love may we pursue our worlds with an ounce
of His love. It's where life in its fullness is!
(member of a homegroup)