Do I know any Michael Hoseas?

My husband became a Michael Hosea.  In a sense, so did I.  Neither of us were Christians when we married, and we struggled.  We had very high highs and very low lows.  Think of a roller coaster ride and you get some idea.  We were on the edge of divorce when I found a church that showed me Jesus.  Soon after, Rick met Him, too.  Rick and I were baptized on the same day.  Things began to change from that time forward.  We’ve been married 41 years and each year is a blessing.  We can look back and see how God has changed us from the inside out and grown us up.  We both have our quirks, of course.  Rick said he never imagined he would be married to an older woman who wears glasses and snores.  And I never thought he’d still be wearing Levis and OP-style shorts. We spend a lot of time laughing together.

Rick is an early riser.  He awakens me with kisses and coffee.  We have both read and re-read the One Year Bible.  We also read devotionals to one another each morning.  We both study Scripture.  I pour what I learn into my writing and he teaches our home group every Tuesday night.   

The thing about Michael Hosea is he can be a man or a woman.  It’s the character of Michael Hosea that has such appeal: someone faithful no matter what, who keeps promises, someone who sees the best in others.  Michael (or Michaela) is a 1 Corinthians 13 lover.  “Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails…”

A love like that comes from God and is possible when we turn our lives over to Him completely and He indwells us with His Holy Spirit who makes it possible for us to love others the way He first loved us.  How much did Jesus love us?  He spread His arms wide and allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross for our sins.  He became our ransom out of hell.  He died, was buried and rose again.  All to prove how deep, wide and high His love is for each one of us. 

Jesus is the ultimate Michael Hosea.  Whether you have a personal and intimate relationship with Him is up to you.  God gave us free will.  Each of us makes the choice.  I pray yours is “Yes, Lord, yes!”