Week of March 5, 2017

Dear Parents,

This week, we encountered the curious instructions God gave the prophet Hosea. God sent the prophet Hosea to speak to Israel a message of God’s hatred toward sin and of His coming judgment. God also sent Hosea to bring a message of love—a love that never gives up. God used Hosea’s own life to show Israel what a never-gives-up kind of love looks like.

God told Hosea to marry a prostitute. He told Hosea that his wife would not be faithful to him. She would give birth to children who were conceived with other men. Still, Hosea obeyed God. He chose Gomer as his wife. Just as God said, Gomer was not faithful to Hosea. She went after other lovers. Can you imagine Hosea’s grief each time he found his wife with another man?

It would have been easier for Hosea to throw up his hands and say, “Enough! I’m done with you!” God’s people were no different than Gomer. They were spiritual adulterers. Their hearts chased after other lovers. They loved and worshiped idols, people and things that were not the one true God.

It would have been easier for God to throw up His hands and say, “Enough! I’m done with you!” But God’s love never gives up. He gave Hosea a love for his wife that compelled him to buy her back from the slave market after all she had done. In the same way, God sought after His unfaithful people even after all they had done. God paid a high price—the life of His Son, Jesus—to bring them back to Himself.

Hosea’s relationship with Gomer reminds us of God’s relationship with the people of Israel and with us. Even though God’s people are unfaithful and love other things more than they love God, God still loves us. God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sin and bring us back to Him.

Help your kids understand what God’s amazing love is like and make sure they see that the price God paid to bring us back to Him was Jesus. God gave Hosea a deep love; Hosea was willing to buy back Gomer even after all she had done. God’s love is deep, and it never gives up. He goes after His people and loves them back to Himself.

Check this session’s Activity Page and Big Picture Card as well as the Gospel Project for Kids Family App for ways to interact with the Bible content this week.

Family Talking Points

Toddlers

• God loves people.
• God sent prophets to help His people.
• Hosea’s life showed Israel how much God loved them.
• Jesus’ life shows how much God loves us.

Preschool

• What is God like? God is merciful and loving.
• God loves people who don’t love Him back.

Kids

• What is God like? God is slow to anger, merciful, and loving.
• God is like Hosea, loving people when they don’t deserve it.

Unit Key Passage

“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.
” – Joel 2:13

Next Week

Jonah, Prophet to Nineveh (Jonah 1–4)

Reminders

March birthdays: K-5 birthday celebration is March 26 during service:

Lucie Payne – March 1
KeAryi Nicholson – March 5
Alexis Hagemann – March 16