Sacred Raisin Cakes
Sacred
Raisin Cakes
Would you agree that a cake is not even worth comparing to the Creator of the Universe?
So would God. And so would Hosea.
Hosea is a rough story. Heart wrenching because its plot revolves around the destruction of a marriage by the unfaithfulness of Hosea's wife Gomer. It seems doomed from the beginning as she is actively engaged in the occupation of prostitution when Hosea is commanded to love and marry her. So God arranges this tumultuous, broken marriage that is wrought with infidelity from the start! Homer's whoring wife is to be the living example of the spiritually broken marriage between God and his people Israel.
Infidelity and adultery are listed as especially egregious in God's eyes for they are the rupturing acts upon God's foundation for society, namely, marriage between man and woman (something we'll talk more about this Sunday in Mark 10). Most of us might agree that this is especially awful, ruinous and painful for everyone. But would you compare that sin to eating raisin cakes?
Some of us love raisins, most of us love cakes and many of us might be on the fence whether the two should mingle. Regardless, what a random, absurd, side-ways question! So much so, that we would not even think twice about some raison cakes if our bride or our groom were to be found unfaithful.
And yet, this is exactly the purpose for the life and story of God's prophet Hosea. God's people loved the sacred raison cakes more than him. They were committing spiritual infidelity and giving themselves heart, soul, mind and strength to sacred raison cakes.
Sunday was a difficult passage because it is meant to draw out our sin and deal with it decisively (Mark 9:42-50). As I continue to reflect on that text I'll admit, I see habitual rhythms of my inner and outer life that disturb my otherwise perfectly Godward life. Seemingly obscure, irrelevant and meaningless thoughts, words and actions reveal a divided faith. Faith in my intellect, my stuff, my self-righteousness can be seen in those things that I hold onto with vigor. Those things seem unimportant until those things (or people, privileges) are exposed as inordinate worship.
As much as we ought to muster our love for God and God alone, we can't do it. Even if we gave up our raison cakes, we need his love first. And that is exactly what God shows us in Hosea.
“And the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.””
As we are munching ignorantly, unfaithfully on raison cakes, God comes and loves us with all the endearing faithfulness of the sinless groom, his son, Jesus. While we are blind to the ugliness of our ongoing sin, he is loving us perfectly, coming to us in our sin and bringing us to the Father, making us righteous in Christ, pure in Christ, made right in Christ. Little by little, his tender grace brings to light the next sin to be dealt with.
If the Spirit of God is revealing your "raison cakes", what should you do?
Our part, as we've seen in Mark, remains rooted in the good news of the kingdom of God. Repent and believe! (Mark 1:14-15). I believe that this is not just a one time moment, although it has a kind of beginning for every Christian. A disciple is formed by a life-style of repentance and faith. By God's grace repentance and faith becomes a joy! Really! Because that rhythm of repentance and faith remind us how much he loves us in Jesus. It declares to the world that we rest in a God that forgives. One day we will put down or battle gear and the struggle with sin will be finished forever. Until that day, let's love one another toward our groom, Jesus. Especially when we see the crumbs of raison cakes on the sides of our brother's or sister's mouths. Our are probably just as obvious to everyone else.
Loren