How far must one man go to demonstrate his love for a woman and to win her heart?
In Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers, Michael Hosea was prepared to marry a prostitute. He fell in love with Angel, a young woman with a very sordid past who was sold into prostitution at the age of 8 and so began Angel's tumultuous journey of healing.
Francine Rivers has translated the book of Hosea into the Gold Rush era in the US with finesse. She is a fine wordsmith, crafting every chapter so that it is riveting, imaginative and filled with colourful language that doesn't lose you in imagery but engages all your senses. I often "wander off" when a book goes into description because I get bored, but this book kept me the whole way through and that's over 400 pages worth of written words!
What did I learn from Redeeming Love? So much that I will be eternally grateful for.
Firstly, I learned that true love is constant. It is not when you feel like it, it is forever, unmerited, unearned, favour that is boundless. It is a decision that is made daily, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer.
Secondly, I learned that perfection is a journey, not a destination. We are all on that pathway but none of us have arrived and it is okay to be working towards perfection. We all fail ourselves, each other, God. What we must do is not put all our attention on our failures, but realise the constancy of God's grace so we can move forward.
This last point was particularly relevant for my relationship with my husband. We are currently separated, due to some personal issues, but I have found a much deeper level of grace towards my husband after reading this book. It showed me that love endures all things - the good and the bad and sometimes it chases to make up and other times it allows the individual to come to the end of themselves and for them to make the moves. However, it is always open to reconciliation. This was so great for me to learn.
Thirdly, I learned that there is no sin that is too great for God to forgive or for us to forgive of one another.
Finally, I learned that it is not true when people say, "Once a...always a...". As human beings we have the capacity to embrace change if we choose. The power of choice is probably the greatest gift that we have been given.
I encourage you today if you read this to make your peace with God. He remains the same today and forever - good, gracious, loving, kind, just and compassionate. There is nothing you have done that He doesn't already know about and hasn't already forgiven you. All you need to do is to ask for that forgiveness, and to receive it.
I highly recommend all couples to buy this novel. I understand that it is fictitious but it has taught me some very deep spiritual principles that I know will also help you in your life.
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