Mobius Symbol: Unending God

Most of us are familiar with the mobius symbol nowadays. It's a loop design, known as the 'unending loop'. Though you follow both sides, it seems to switch over without ending. So is God's love and faithfulness. Today... in the midst of a very busy, stressful and hectic time, I am blessed to remember that there is something so much greater that is unending. More fascinating than a loop that never ends is the Lord who never ends.

Unending Love through Difficult Times

² When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the LORD." ~Hosea 1:2

At the beginning of Hosea, God sends in a quite the plot turn. Could you believe it? A prophet commanded to marry a promiscuous woman? How many of us would be willing to do that to ourselves? Do commit ourselves to loving someone who was unfaithful? And yet this is just the metaphor that God is drawing between ourselves and Him. God's love for us is unending. Though we will sin and fall short many times, though we are hopelessly incapable without Him, and without Him can do nothing, He pledges His faithfulness to His church, His holy bride. This is a love like no other. A love that is, was and will be.

Today I think far too many feel that they are "taking a chance" when they marry. They set up prenuptuals and hope for the best, since something like 50% of marriages fail. But with God, it's not "Until I don't want to put up with you." He 'marries' us knowing every single one of our faults - stubbornness, anxiety, impatience, selfishness, etc. When we make a decision to marry, we usually carefully calculate whether it will work, all the similarities and differences, the qualities and must-haves. God knows everything about us. He knew exactly what he was (and wasn't) getting. And yet, to continue the marriage metaphor, he loved us even while we didn't love Him. Even when we were sinners (when we were not His own), Christ died for us.

²¹ “In that day I will respond,”
declares the LORD—
“I will respond to the skies,
and they will respond to the earth;
²² and the earth will respond to the grain,
the new wine and the olive oil,
and they will respond to Jezreel.
²³ I will plant her for myself in the land;
I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’
I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’;
and they will say, ‘You are my God.’” ~Hosea 2:21-23

And yet, though this must have been so awful, and this is why He commanded Hosea to marry an unfaithful wife, He promsed to love His people, as verse 23 states. "I will show my love to the one I called, 'Not my loved one.' I will say to those called 'Not my people,' 'You are my people'; and they will say, 'You are my God.'"

Unending Love through All Times

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” ~Revelations 1:8

And God's love extends throughout all times. We have a God that loves us during the difficult times, times when we are unfaithful, when we fall to Him, asking for forgiveness.

But God's love also extends to us throughout eternity. I love reading this verse over and over again. It reminds me of a Max Lucado reflection I once read on the 'middle C', how God is the center of our life. No matter which piano we are at, we can find Him there.

God is the center, but God is also the 'always'... the ever-present Lord since the beginning,now and to the end. Knowing that we have a God who loves us so much that He would metaphorically 'marry' and unfaithful bride, we can take great assurance and faith in remembering that God is, was and will be. We have an unending God, with unending love. Praise the Lord, giver of every good and perfect gift!