And the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.” (Hosea 3:1)

To find out that your spouse is having an affair really, really hurts.

Yet God says, Love her.

And so, Hosea loves.

Someone who has pledged loyalty and love to you, with whom you are one flesh and building a life … now shattering every promise.

In this world, many marriages do not recover from such cruel betrayals.

Sexual immorality is so serious that it is the only reason Jesus permits divorce (Matthew 19:9). In God’s eyes, adultery is violent (Malachi 2:16).

Yet, despite the pain, God wants Hosea to love his adulterous wife. Hosea is to redeem her, making her his own.

God wants His people to realise this: though we betray and hurt Him, He still loves us.

The human mind instinctively avoids pain. But God is not flesh and blood, and His love goes far beyond what we can ever know (Eph 3:19).

As for Hosea, heart, body and soul—he surrenders all to God. God’s love strengthens him to obey despite the pain.

If we want to follow Jesus, He asks us to deny ourselves and take up our cross (Mt 16:24). A wooden cross can weigh at least 130 kilograms. Imagine carrying that constantly, wherever you go.

Hosea did not merely take his wife back—he loved her. He bore the weight of obedience in heartbreak and possibly mockery for her public unfaithfulness (“Why are you being so silly to take this woman back?”). Yet his life became a living testimony of God’s love for His people.

As Hosea walked over to redeem his wife, I wonder if he thought: wow, we have sinned and betrayed God with our sins, and yet this holy God STILL wants us to belong to Him.

Jesus has seen us sinners at our darkest. Despite the pain, He loved us and died for us on the cross.

To the ones who have put down their cross, Jesus waves us over.

His nail-pierced hands are wide open.

He says, Come. I love you. I am here, waiting, for you to pick up your cross again. You are Mine.