Most of us women would not like to be called Gomer. The biblical meaning of the name is; GOMER The Woman Infamous for Her Harlotry Hosea 1:1-11; 3:1 Name means “completion,” that is, the filling up of the measure of idolatry, or ripeness of consummate wickedness. Her name was indicative of the wholesale adultery and idolatry of the kingdom she represented. As “a wife of whoredoms,” this woman of the Northern Kingdom, regarded as an idolatress, became a symbol of her people. Beside having a ghastly name, she was a prostitute. She ran around on her husband, Hosea, and abandoned her three kids. On three different occasions Hosea go after her to bring her back home; one time even buying her back. Now this is not your typical blog about the message of Hosea and the political meaning of Hosea. And although we’ll touch on how it is a portrait of Jesus, I want to talk about Gomer. We really don’t know much about her. Was she pretty? Why did she feel the need to sleep around with other men? Was she unsure of Hosea or did she enjoy playing the field? Did she crave the attention of other men that may have dwindled since she had first married Hosea? Did she feel life her sex life was the only thing she could control? The world may never know. Gomer, like all of us, was a sinner. She chose to live that lifestyle and it was that lifestyle that kept her in bondage. Most of us choose our sin; I choose to be selfish. It is easy to pass blame; Barrett made me mad so I went out and spent money we don’t have. (Which, sadly, I’ve done.) Even if I’m mad I had no right to do that. The bible tells us in Ephesians 4:26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,” Hosea chose to love a woman who chose to sin. We all choose to love sinners because we all sin. It is easier to justify our own sin than it is to forgive someone else’s sin. Matthew 7:4 says “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” Because we are human we want the authority to judge others and place a penalty on them. It must have been exhausting for Hosea as a husband to have to continually go find Gomer in the street to bring her home again. As a wife, I realize how important it is be forgiven by and in good graces with my husband. However it is even more important to be forgiven by GOD.
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So, I am one of those people who messes up on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. It may be sticking my foot in my mouth or not paying attention and knocking over a bottle of soda on a freshly clean floor. I am a walking disaster; I walking sin if you may. No one understands this better than the Apostle Paul when he said in Romans 7:15-20 New International Version (NIV) “15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Now, while this is not a coverall for all sin, it does remind us that EVERYONE IS A SINNER! We must come to the cross DAILY seeking forgiveness. I can only be forgiven because I am washed in Jesus’ blood. Sometimes I deeply hurt people when I sin, but I have to trust that God will loosen those people’s hearts towards me so that they are able to forgive me too. Every cause has an effect. All my life I’ve wondered why God allowed me to be disabled. Oh, I’ve seen glimpses now and then, but I don’t think I’ll truly know all the reasons until I get to chit chat with God in Heaven We briefly talked about this subject last night at prayer meeting and suddenly it hit like a ton of bricks. One of the reason I think I have Cerebral Palsy Is because I’m such a selfish, selfish person. O, I try to hide it well in public, but once you walk into my space...you better watch out honey! It’s all about ME!!! I don’t want to be selfish; I don’t think too many selfish people will admit they are selfish; they always have an excuse of to why they are so selfish. My excuse was/is that I am disabled and my physical trumps everyone elses. Truth is,I honestly believe if I wasn’t disabled I’d be just as selfish, probably even more> I don’t think I’d be a Chirstain, since it was my CP that led my parents to get me into a Christian school. I’d probably never gone to college, met Barrett and had my babies. I grew up in a very hard part Nashville and there were many things that could have lured me into a very ungodly direction.
I believe in many ways my disability has saved me, but at the same time it has caused me to be selfish and hard heartened We all have dark days; days that everything goes wrong and a helpless feeling rise up in you soul. It is very tempting to do things like feel sorry for ourselves, take our anger out on others and even curse God. We want to blame other or ourselves or even God; but sometimes there is no one to blame; Somethings just happen. Some times a trail is just a trail, But its how we approach it that matters. James 1:2-4 says;"2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Th past year has bean a definite trail for our familyhas gone through some significant changes; mostly with my health. I wish I could say I have considered it all joy , but I haven't. Some days I feel like screaming, I feel guilty, some days I feel sorry for myself and beg to go home from the nursing home where I live; sometimes I make them feel guilty and sometimes I just cry out to God and blame him. What a waste! Truth is we're thriving; me individually and as a family. It has eased a lot of tension. We're getting along better;even onthe darkest of days Heather Norman Barrett
6 hrs · OK, I can't find it now, but there's a post going around like..SHARE IF YOU THINK TRUMP SHOULD BAN ISLAM IN SCHOOLS. My gut reaction is "YES". But, I think it can and SHOULD be taught just as other religions and cultures are/should be taught. This country was built on FREEDOM OF RELIGION. I also think most of us (myself included) do not know much about Islam or Muslims, except what we've heard on the news. While the news can be helpful, if we don't educate ourselves we breed IGNORANCE. Our kids have to be more tolerant than we did growing up. My kids have been in church every Sunday since they were born, I know they're secure in their faith. While there are certain activities I hope they don't get involved in, I don't want them to be prejudice of people simply because some people are terrorist. We have Americans who can be just as dangerous as ANYONE from another country. I pray that people see God in my kids. There's a saying that say "You may be the only gospel someone ever sees." I want them to judge people by their hearts not because of what they have been told of something that Someone from their country did. I know this may not be a popular post, but I hope it may cause people to really stop and think about what we are teaching our kids. both love and hate grows. What do you want in your heart?
I loved Judy Blume growing up and I can just remember saying I can do that. Being with 5 brothers, I became imaginative and made up stories for my dolls. As I got older, writing my 2nd voice. With a speech impediment, it is very hard to express myself verbally - and it's getting worse as I age. Writing allows me to express my thoughts and feelings When we first got married and had kids, I really didn't know any other disabled, so I started our life and some of the struggles we have because of my disability. When my son was 3 months old, I wrote a story told from a little boy's point of view of what it's like to a have a disabled mother. I also write about my faith a lot. Romans 8:28 says "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God--those whom he has called according to his plan." This is a great verse, But I think too often we stop at the word "GOOD" and don't read the rest of the verse. We think everything should work out in our favor, but if we not living according to how God calls us then something thing we may see as good my hurt us in the end. Isaiah 55:8 tells us;
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Now, I don't know about you but I'm going to trust GOD because I do want ALL THINGS to work together for MY GOOD. 1 JOHN 3:24(ESV) "WHOEVER KEEPS HIS COMMANDMENTS ABIDES IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM. AND BY THIS WE KNOW THAT HE ABIDES IN US, BY THE SPIRIT WHOM HE HAS GIVEN US." IT'S SUCH A BLESSING TO KNOW THAT GOD ABIDES IN ME!! EVEN AS A WIFE AND MAMA, I FEEL ALONE A LOT, ESPECIALLY AS THE KIDS GET OLDER. I'M ACTUALLY REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THIS RIGHT. IT ALMOST SEAMS LIKE I'M BECOME OBSOLETE. MY IDENTITY IS CHANGING AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE "NEW" ME IS SUPPOSE TO LOOK LIKE, BUT I KNOW IF I ABIDE IN CHRIST, HE WILL SHOW ME THE WAY. Do you ever feel like you’re not a good person? Do your let your own selfishness get in your own way. You don’t know why you’re selfish; You don’t want to be.
Paul tells us in the NLT I Tim 1:15 “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.” We don’t want to be a sinner; especially the worst sinner of them all, but sometimes we are. We have broken relationships that may be fractured forever. We may have taken special days and woven a terrible image into it - that may haunt us forever. Paul also tells us Romans 7:15-20 New International Version (NIV)15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Now, I don’t think Paul is denying that he chooses the sin and fails to take responsibility for his actions. I think he knows he has a choice, but because of the sin nature of his humanness; he knows that in his will he will chose sin every time because it appeals to him. We all like self gratification. I want things the way I want them NOW!!! I want people to say “How high?” when I say “Jump!” I’ve written several blog posts on control lately, (please see the archives). This is the same thing. Physically, I don’t have a lot of control in my life, and as I age I lose more and more, so I control things anyway I can; usually in a negative way. If I’m not happy the N0 ONE should be happy! I don’t have the authority to dictate how other feel. The saying “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”, is, sadly too true in my home and probably millions of homes all over the world. Ironically it’s the total opposite of what I want for my home; I want our home to be a sanctuary of peace and rest: but this in not what my actions show CREATE A FREE WEBSITE |