Hosea 2:16
“And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.”
The relationship between Hosea and his wife was strained at best. God told Hosea to go and marry a wife of whoredoms, and he obeyed. Their relationship was strained, not because Hosea didn’t love his wife, but because she wanted to leave him to go back to her wicked lifestyle. Hosea’s wife didn’t look at her marriage in an endearing manner, but she looked at her relationship as a bondage that kept her from doing what she wanted to do.
God used this marriage to show His people what He was willing to go through just to have an endearing relationship with them. In the verse above, God told Israel that their sins sent them into bondage, but that one day He would re-establish a relationship with them so that they would call Him “Ishi” and not “Baali.” “Ishi” means, “husband,” and “Baali” means “master or lord.” In other words, God didn’t want to be their lord, but He wanted to have a delightful relationship with them. God didn’t want His people to feel that they were in bondage in their relationship with Him; instead, He wanted them to see it as a relationship that was treasured and filled with love.
Christian, God wants a close relationship with you. God doesn’t want you to feel that you have to serve Him, but that you get to serve Him. Many Christians serve God out of obligation, which makes Him their lord. There is certainly nothing wrong with God being your lord, but that is not the relationship He wants with you. He doesn’t want you to look at Him as a ruler or master who makes you do something. He wants to have a relationship with you that is cherished and enjoyed.
Let me illustrate. When two people first get married, they enjoy doing things for each other. Their love for each other is innocent, and hasn’t been tried by each others weaknesses. Yet, you will find many times people get to the point in their relationship where they have to do things for their spouse because that is their obligation. It is their birthday, so you have to buy them a card or get them a gift. It is your anniversary, so you have to get your spouse a box of chocolates or buy flowers for your wife. Then, there are relationships where a couple doesn’t do these things because they have to, but they do them because they want to. This relationship has moved from a “Baali” relationship to a “Ishi” relationship.
Friend, let me ask you, are you serving God because you have to or because you want to? Do you look forward to going to church, or do you do it out of obligation? Is your time in the Scriptures a penance that you must do to feel spiritual, or is it a time to which you look forward because you get to spend time with God? Do you go soul winning or serve in a church ministry out of obligation, or is it a part of your life that you enjoy and would never want to have it taken away?
When you move beyond God being your lord, and your service to Him is out of obligation, then you will find the things of God will not be bitter. Only one thing causes you to look at God as your lord, and that is sin. When sin is removed, and I’m not just talking about “big” sin, I’m talking about any sin, then that is when your relationship will move to an endearing relationship. Don’t let sin take the joy away from your relationship with God. Let your relationship be one that is cherished and one where you can call God, “Ishi.”