They will be called

Press the play button to watch the video above or press 'more' to read the transcript of the daily devotion below. Please read Hosea 1:2-11  (use your own Bible or use the link above to access the in-App Bible).

"In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people’, they will be called ‘sons of the living God." - Hosea 1:10b

Last year, I started watching The Good Wife, a U.S. drama about a politician’s wife who returns to her job as a defence attorney after her husband is jailed for a sex and corruption scandal. What fascinates me most isn’t just the courtroom drama, but the inner conflict I feel as I find myself cheering for characters who make choices that that completely contradict my own moral compass.

The story of Hosea—especially the first three chapters—brings up the same kind of discomfort. It’s a complex and unsettling drama. I know it’s a metaphor—Gomer represents Israel’s unfaithfulness to God—but I still feel torn. On one hand I feel outrage on Hosea’s behalf. On the other, I struggle with the patriarchal possession of women and the complete absence of Gomer’s voice.

Then there are their children—innocent, yet given names like God Scatters, Not Loved, and Not My People – used as public signs of God’s judgment and reminders of the broken relationship between God and Israel.

So I find myself emotionally tangled. And yet—despite all that—it’s a powerful story. It doesn’t just show the relationship between God and Israel but also, when I’m not too busy being outraged, the relationship between God and myself.

After the third child is named, the story shifts. God’s judgment gives way to a promise of hope and we see God’s incredible faithfulness.

This is where Hosea meets Advent. Just as Israel waited in the tension between judgment and restoration, Advent invites us to wait in hope for Christ—who steps into our brokenness and brings healing.

In the middle of my complex reactions to Hosea, I have to remember: I’m not just watching from the outside. I am Gomer. We all are. And yet, Christ comes for us to bring us back to being ‘sons of the living God’ (vs 10b).

Let’s pray. God of mercy, in this season of waiting, help us to see ourselves clearly—not just as bystanders, but as those who wander. Thank You for stepping into our brokenness and calling us back to You. As we wait for Christ’s coming, help us trust that even in our wandering, you are always drawing us home. Amen.