by Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
A couple, filled with excitement and joy, exchanged their vows and sealed their commitment with a kiss while their family, friends, and a camera served as witnesses.
The camera caught a moment when the new wife turned and looked at her husband and said with real pride and wonder in her voice: “I have a husband.”
She then paused with a look of joy and wonder on her face as she let that sink in for a moment. Her boyfriend had a new title. He was no longer just a boyfriend. He was her husband.
His title had that much more significance than his previous title. He was far more permanent. It had new connotations and yes even new responsibilities that were attached to that title.
She of course was now a wife and that also had new connotations and new responsibilities to it.
When two people are in love, they don’t think of it as responsibilities. Instead, they think of it as a joyful opportunity to serve one another.
There is an assurance that has taken place when that title changes.
The prophet Hosea faced a really tough time in his family and God used his story as an illustration of what He really wanted in the way of a relationship with His people.
Hosea’s wife was a prostitute who kept running away from him and returning to her old life. Hosea kept going after her and bringing her back.
God did the same with the children of Israel and he keeps doing that for each of us as well. Then in Hosea 2:16 you see that God really wants that permanent relationship and that title change to take place in our life with Him.
And it shall be in that day says the Lord, That you will call me “My husband" and no longer call Me "My Master."
You see when we start thinking of God as a spouse with whom we are in a relationship with and love deeply, we approach things differently.
We don’t think of the 10 commandments as a burden but instead just part of being in a love relationship with God. We don’t think of God as oppressive but instead think of God as being in a loving committed relationship with us.
Then serving God merely means being in the family of God with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities that come with being in a family.
So the question for this week is: What do you call God?