It’s Not Too Late

The book of Hosea tells the story of a prophet whose life was ravaged by sexual sin. Hosea married a woman named Gomer, and after some time they had a son. Life was good, and the young family was thriving—until Gomer became pregnant with a second child, who was not fathered by Hosea. 

This would crush any family, but Hosea didn’t give up on their marriage. He named his illegitimate daughter Lo-ruhama, which means “you have not received mercy.” Sometime later, the family received another blow as Gomer again got pregnant with another man’s child. This time, God told Hosea to name the boy Lo-ammi, meaning “not mine” or “not of my people.” 

These two kids carried names that spoke of their mother’s unfaithfulness. Every time their names were spoken, it was a reminder of her sin. Finally, Gomer gave up on the marriage and left Hosea, eventually selling herself into slavery. In a radical act of love and in obedience to God’s command, Hosea searched for her, found her, bought her from the slave owners, and returned home with her. 

It’s an incredible story of redemption, and God included it in the Scripture because Gomer is a picture of you and me. You are the unfaithful wife, and God is the husband of your soul. Through acts of unfaithfulness, you have experienced the fragmentation of personality and found yourself enslaved by your desires. But in the greatest act of love, your husband came to find you. He sold all that he had to buy you back from sin and on the cross paid your ransom in full. Like Gomer, you have been given more chances than you deserve, and even now God extends his hands in mercy. 

Years after Hosea and Gomer, the apostle Peter wrote: 

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9–10). 

Peter teaches us that, because of what Jesus has done, there is a new identity for every believer, regardless of how ugly his or her past may be. This identity allows you to write a new script for your future. 

He says you are chosen, answering the deep question “Am I valuable?” The answer is yes, because God chose you. You are royalty, answering the question “Am I significant?” The answer is yes, because God invites you to rule with him. You are a holy nation, answering the question “Am I part of something greater?” The answer is yes, because you are part of the kingdom of God. He calls you his own possession, answering the question “Do I belong?” The answer is yes, because you belong to him forever. 

But what about the baggage of your past? What about the broken hearts, the dysfunctional relationships, and the memories that haunt you? After Gomer came back to Hosea, she still had her two illegitimate kids. The mistakes of yesterday don’t just disappear when you repent. What does God do with yesterday’s brokenness? 

Did you notice that Peter included in his description of your new identity the names of Hosea’s two illegitimate kids? Seemingly out of nowhere, Peter pulled their names back into the conversation. He wrote that you were once “not a people.” That was the name of Hosea’s son! You were once someone who had “not received mercy.” That was the name of Hosea’s daughter! The name over your past was changed from “not a people” to “God’s people,” and from “has not received mercy” to “has received mercy.” God changed the name written over your past! 

In Jesus, you have been given a new name. Peter pulled this tiny detail from an Old Testament story so you can know that it’s not too late for you. God will change the name over your past sin, collect the broken pieces of your heart, rewrite the script of your life, and somehow turn shame into glory. He did it for Gomer. He did it for Peter. He can do it for you. 

If you feel like habit 4 is out of reach, let me assure you that it’s not. Take the first step toward healing and repentance, and watch God transform you, day by day—from the inside out. 

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