Astounding

A relationship has a tendency to change us, and we should change in certain ways so that we can give our partner the absolute best version of our imperfect self. One of the hallmarks of a good or a bad relationship is simply whether it causes us to get better or worse. Keep in mind that regardless of the type of changes, the process of being changed and adjusting to life afterwards may be uncomfortable. Relationships often fail because one person is unwilling to change, or he or she changes but gets pulled back into his or her old ways. One of the things that make the story of Ruth and Boaz so compelling was Ruth’s willingness to change and leave her past behind, for something that was truly better. Naomi tried to get Ruth to go back to her old ways but she said, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.’ ~ Ruth 1:16-17 (NIV) Ruth meant what she said and that fateful decision led her to Boaz, and a place in the genealogy of Christ. But then there’s a story that’s on the opposite end of the spectrum. The Prophet Hosea complied with the Lord by marrying Gomer after He said, ‘Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her…’ ~ Hosea 1:2 (NIV) But Gomer, despite having three children with a Man of God, went back to her promiscuous ways. Hosea paid the price and was obedient again when the Lord said, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods…’ ~ Hosea 3:1 (NIV)

The Lord and the devil have people that they will send into our lives, however, people from the devil will feed our ego and keep us in bondage, while people from the Lord will feed our spirit in an order to set us free. Initially, it may be difficult to know whom a person truly represents, but the Lord exposes everyone’s true colors in due time.

I venture to say that the Lord created relationships in part to change us, to make us better and draw us closer to Him. Anything that does not draw you closer to the Lord will eventually pull or push you away from Him. And there may come a point when the Lord won’t send a “Hosea” to get you if you want to be rebellious like Gomer. By the way, Hosea is a foreshadow of Christ as exemplified in the following Scripture: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” ~ Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV) Withholding the “Hosea” from those who insist on learning things the hard way is demonstrated in the following excerpt from Romans 1:18-32:

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened… Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie… Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts… Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.”

If you refuse to change (for the better), the Lord may allow you to remain the same or go back to the way you were, but you won’t like it in the long run. I received a message yesterday about a young lady who began using drugs several years ago. It may have started with marijuana, and some would say it was “only marijuana”, but it’s called a “gateway drug” for a reason. It brought tears to my eyes to see a young mother in so much trouble with the law; she will most likely miss a portion of her child’s life after her trial. It was also sad that I could barely recognize her because of her physical changes. Sadly, she was not the only one arrested at that time. But, as it is written, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

It is difficult to try to save someone who does not want to be saved, especially when he or she ignores your warnings about being on the wrong path. It is even more difficult to witness the impacts of what happens when a person refuses to change (for the better). But we may have to let go and let the Lord handle things. If someone wants to hang out with the devil, the Lord will try to stop it but He respects our free will. The devil will take people to fun places but the party ends, because ultimately, the only place he can truly take them is to hell, with him. Getting into a relationship with the devil is like a roller coaster that starts off going uphill, slowly, but then it takes you down quickly and throws you back and forth, and sometimes turns your life upside down, before coming to a screeching halt.

The Prophet Jeremiah lamented, “Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean. All who honored her despise her, for they have all seen her naked; she herself groans and turns away. Her filthiness clung to her skirts; she did not consider her future. Her fall was astounding; there was none to comfort her…” ~ Lamentations 1:2, 8-9 (NIV) He lamented because of cities whose people ignored his warning, but his words also apply to people, regardless of gender; a person’s fall is usually astounding.

Additional Reading: Ruth 1-4, Hosea 1 & 3, Romans 1:18-32 and Lamentations 1.