Hosea 11:1-9
Note to worship leader: The story of Hosea is both fascinating and difficult. It is a parable about a God who moves from anger to forgiveness, and woos us back into a loving relationship. It is also bristling with sexism that can’t and shouldn’t be ignored.
However, there is a second almost-story in Hosea 11, where God reaches out to Ephraim. In the reader’s theatre that follows, I tell the first parable of Gomer and Hosea, then move to the second, hoping people will realize we need many metaphors and parables through which to sense some of the reality of God.
As always, you are free to adapt this reader’s theatre piece to fit your own situation.
Additional resource: A reading about a mothering God who reaches out to us from the 14th century English mystic, Julian of Norwich.
(reading time about 7 min.)
Reader one: The story of Hosea. The romantic story of a gorgeous Gomer and handsome Hosea – a husband and wife and their three lovely children.
Reader two: Not quite! Try again.
Reader one: The story of Hosea. A story of gentle Gomer and hard-working Hosea, a husband and wife and their three handicapped children, making their way in a harsh, uncaring world.
Reader two: Better, but still way off.
Reader one: (annoyed) Well, what then?
Reader two: Well, for starters, the story is not about Gomer and Hosea and their kids.
Reader one: C’mon! Those are the names I read in the Bible. It says right there, “When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife – a woman who sleeps with every guy she meets.”
Should we be reading this in church?
Reader two: Yes, we should. Because the Bible isn’t just about sweet, lovey-dovey – way up in the sky kind of stuff. The Bible is about the down and dirty stuff too.
But look at that that verse again. It says, “The Lord spoke through Hosea.”
Reader one: Oh, you mean Hosea just moved his lips – lip sync – like an air band – but it was really God talking.
Reader two: No. Whoever wrote the book of Hosea was telling a story. A parable. Like the parables Jesus told. A parable is a story someone makes up in order to make a point. And the writer of Hosea was trying to show us what God is like. To do that, the writer makes up a story.
Reader one: It doesn’t sound like a very pleasant story.
Reader two: It isn’t. But it does have a happy ending.
Reader one: (relieved) Good!
Reader two: The word of the Lord came to Hosea. “Go. Take for yourself a wife who is a whore. And have children with her.”
So Hosea went and took Gomer to be his wife.
Hosea and Gomer had three children. But Gomer didn’t settle down and become a nice happy homemaker changing diapers and baking cookies. Gomer ran off and left Hosea with the kids.
She ran off and started drinking and carrying on and sleeping with all the guys she met in the pub.
Hosea was furious! “I should have her killed,” he said. “I should drag her into the market place and strip her naked to show the whole world what a shameful person she is.”
But somehow, Hosea couldn’t do that. Hosea tried to win her back. He gave her gifts of grain and wine and oil. He spoke tenderly to her. “Come,” he said. “Come and be with me. Come and be my wife forever. Love me, and let me love you.”
Reader one: That’s a nice story, but I thought you said it was about God.
Reader two: It is about God. In this story, Hosea is like God, and we are like Gomer. We go sinking our energy and money and talent and time into all kinds of stuff – we sell our lives down the tube by lusting after a nice house, a big car, and prestigious job. And that gets God really upset. God comes very close to stomping on us and giving us what we deserve. But you know what?
Reader one: What?
Reader two: God can’t do it. Instead, God brings us flowers. God gives us love, not anger. God reaches out to us. Yearns for us. The way Hosea yearned for the love of Gomer, so God yearns for our love.
Reader one: So let me get this straight. God is like a really nice guy, and we are like a loose living floozy.
Reader two: Well, that’s the problem, you see. The story of Gomer and Hosea is a little bit sexist. That part of the story makes it sound if women are the problem and men are the solution.
Reader one: There’s more?
Reader two: Yes, there’s more. Maybe the person who wrote the book of Hosea realized that the first story had a problem. So there’s part two, which isn’t really so much of a story as it is a song.
Reader one: You’re not going to sing, I hope.
Reader two: No, because we don’t have the music, we just have the words. But in this song, God is still yearning for our love, but this time, it’s Ephraim, a son that God is yearning for. This is more like a mother God wanting so badly to be reunited with her lost son.
Reader one: So read it.
Reader two:
When Israel was a child,
I loved him.
But the more I called him,
the more he went from me.
He kept sacrificing to their false gods,
and offering incense to idols.
Yet it was I, who taught Ephraim to walk,
I took them up in my arms;
but he did not know that it was I who healed them.
I led him with cords of human kindness,
with bands of love.
I was to them like those
who lift infants to their cheeks.
I bent down to them and fed him.
How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my fierce anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and no mortal,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.
(slight one-second pause)
Reader one: (reflectively) God reaching out for us – needing us – like a husband who loves his wife even though she is unfaithful – like a mother who needs her child, even though he messes up his life.
Ralph's list of readings and stories |
