Hosea 2:19-20 I will betroth you unto me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.

God called the prophet Hosea to demonstrate unfailing love to his unfaithful wife. He was using Hosea to illustrate the depth of God’s covenant love for his people Israel despite their waywardness, ingratitude and worship of idols. God’s commitment to believers is forever; he deals with us in righteousness, he is just and motivated only by his love and compassion.

Did you ever stop to think: “Why would God make such a fuss over me, I’m not worth it?” Don’t you realize he knows that you will sometimes feel that way? When you have failed repeatedly to measure up even to your own expectations, he stretches out his hand to pull you up again. Any righteousness that we are able to exhibit is his not ours, that is the whole meaning of redemption. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

What does it mean to be betrothed? In common language we equate it with being engaged, meaning that both parties have finally, willingly chosen each other as life partners, to the exclusion of all others. All that remains is a public and/or legal ceremony to declare the news to others. We know that in society today, the “forever” aspect seems optional. Not so with God. He says ‘I will betroth you in faithfulness”. Why? So you will truly know him. So that you will grasp the magnitude of his love and understand that: “If we are faithless he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13). His very name is Faithful and True.