A Heavenly Husband

For your Maker is your husband,

the Lord of hosts is his name;

and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,

the God of the whole earth he is called.

For the Lord has called you

like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,

like a wife of youth when she is cast off,

says your God.

"For a brief moment I deserted you,

but with great compassion I will gather you.

In overflowing anger for a moment

I hid my face from you,

but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,"

says the Lord, your Redeemer.

(Isaiah 54:5-8)

Marriage is one of the primary metaphors that the Bible uses to tell the story of redemption, and to image the relationship of Christ's people to Himself. These metaphors have always intrigued me, and in light of past events, I find them even more helpful.

In my day-to-day life, my actions and thoughts are so quick to pronounce God as unfaithful or unconcerned with the well-being of His daughter. While my words may not verbalize this feeling, my heart can quickly turn to an accusation of God's care for me. Last night, I found myself in this very position and my heart didn't soften until I realized that I was calling my heavenly husband an unfaithful, unloving, and harsh sovereign. It broke my heart to realize how hurt Travis would be if I ever suggested those things of him; how much more must it pain a perfectly loving God who gives only good to His people? Travis fails and will continue to fail me as any human being does, and still he never deserves to be called unfaithful or unloving. But I call a perfect God those very things, and refuse to accept that He has my best interests in mind.

God hears these accusations from His people constantly, yet He woos them and loves them and offers His love freely. I love Hosea because of the language of God alluring His beloved people into the wilderness and then refreshing them with tenderness and an eternal covenant of love. On August 3rd, I will make a covenant to love Travis Ryan, and he will make the same to me. But this will be only a small taste of the covenant that God has already made to us through His son, Jesus Christ.

"Therefore, behold, I will allure her,

and bring her into the wilderness,

and speak tenderly to her.

And there I will give her her vineyards

and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.

And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,

as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

"And in that day," declares the Lord, "you will call me 'My Husband,' and no longer will you call me 'My Baal.'"

(Hosea 2:14-16)

I wonder if we would all do well to think more of how we who are God's children are also Christ's bride. We have been given the perfectly faithful bridegroom whose love never fails and never weakens. His actions towards us are only good, and His faithfulness can never be questioned.

And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
(Hosea 2:19)