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Stephanie Rische

Blogger and Writer: Capturing Stories of God's Grace

July 12, 2012

Wooing in the Desert

Picture this: It’s the third century AD, and the persecution that has plagued Christians for hundreds of years has finally lifted. For the first time in the history of the Roman Empire, it’s safe to be a Christian. After an era marked by torture and martyrdom, those who follow Jesus are being welcomed into society.

You’d think that on the heels of such persecution, Christ-followers would bask in their newfound freedom and the comfort of being able to live their lives in peace. But shockingly, it was out of that positive cultural shift that the monastic movement was born. The Desert Fathers (and Mothers), as they were called, went into the Egyptian wilderness not to avoid a difficult situation but to avoid one that was too comfortable.

In my chronological Bible, I just read the heart-wrenching love story of Hosea and his relentless love for his wife, Gomer. She cheats on him again and again, but he keeps taking her back, pursuing her and wooing her back, knowing even as he does that she’ll reject him for lesser loves as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

The story is outrageous, flying in the face of everything I deem just and right and fair. I find myself wanting to shout some sense into Hosea across the pages of Scripture—Why would a nice guy like you keep taking back this woman who is clearly not good enough for you? But I’m barely into the story when it becomes clear that this isn’t just an account about a long-dead prophet. It’s about how God’s people have “acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods” (Hosea 1:2).

That cheating woman is me.

I have found true love in God, yet I give my heart to unworthy substitutes: Comfort. Security. The stuff of this world. The approval of others. People and things that aren’t meant to step into the role only God can fill in my heart.

But here’s where the beautiful part comes in. Hosea doesn’t wait for his fickle bride to come back to him, groveling for forgiveness. No, he pursues her, using every courting trick in the book to win her back. And God does the same for his people, for his bride. For me.

The Lord says…

“I will win her back once again.

I will lead her into the desert

and speak tenderly to her there.”

—Hosea 2:14

At first the desert strikes me as an odd choice for wooing. It doesn’t have quite the romantic appeal of, say, a candlelight dinner or a walk along the beach. Why would God do his courting in the desert?

But the more I think about it, the more I wonder if the Desert Fathers were onto something. Maybe when you’re in the wilderness, it’s easier to have an honest talk about your relationship. In the desert, life moves at a slower pace. You have limited creature comforts. Less noise. Fewer distractions. And maybe then, in the uncomfortable quiet, you can sit down and really talk. Maybe then, you can pause long enough to hear the words your beloved is tenderly speaking to you.

Abba Cronius, one of the Desert Fathers, put it this way: “If the soul is vigilant and withdraws from all distraction and abandons its own will, then the spirit of God invades it.”

If you find yourself in the desert right now, consider this: What if the desert isn’t a punishment after all? What if the desert is a place where there’s finally room for the One who loves you to invade your heart, your soul?

What if the desert is actually the best place to be wooed?

{Note: If you want to find out more about the Desert Fathers and how they make sense in today’s world, I highly recommend the book Holy Fools by Mathew Woodley.}

I’ve taken the challenge of reading the Bible chronologically this year and tracing the thread of grace through it. These musings are prompted by my reading. I’d love to have you join me: One Year Bible reading plan.

6 Comments Filed Under: Love Tagged With: desert fathers, discomfort, Hosea, quiet, romance
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About Stephanie

I think that glimmers of grace are all around us, and I'd love to share those stories with you. I hope you'll grab a cup of coffee and join me at StephanieRische.com.

Quote of the Week

“Some things have to be believed to be seen.”
—Madeleine L’Engle

Discussion

  1. Nancy Rische says

    July 13, 2012 at 8:02 pm

    Wow, there are so many things that can try to fill the God-sized hole in our hearts. We need to remember that there is nothing that satisfies us like Him. Hmmmm, a desert or maybe it’s a mountain where we meet God face to face.

    Reply
  2. Jolyn says

    July 16, 2012 at 8:31 am

    I can’t think of the story of Hosea without remembering Francine River’s Redeeming Love. I’m sure you’ve already read it, but if not, I highly recommend it!

    Reply
    • Stephanie Rische says

      July 16, 2012 at 8:32 am

      Yes! That’s one of my favorites. Maybe I should reread it…

      Reply
  3. alice Teisan says

    July 17, 2012 at 5:08 pm

    Sometimes for me the desert is trapped in my home when the desert temperatures come to my neighborhood. How I struggle at times to get away from the still and quiet and then have to ask myself, “What am I looking for? Chaos instead of Christ?” I wish I could say, “Oh no I’d rather Christ.” But sometimes that’s not what my heart longs for yet I’m grateful for a pursuing God.

    Reply
    • Stephanie Rische says

      July 18, 2012 at 8:05 am

      Yes, so true! I’m grateful for a pursuing God too.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. When Skeletons Come to Life… « Stephanie Rische says:
    September 21, 2012 at 4:38 pm

    […] but because their lives were often used as rather startling object lessons. A few cases in point: Hosea was told to marry a prostitute; Isaiah had to walk around naked and barefoot for three years; and […]

    Reply

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