Hosea’s wife

I see the scars of searches everywhere I go
From hearts to wars to literature to radio
There’s a question like a shame no one will show
“What do I live for?

“We are Hosea’s wife
We are squandering this life
Using people like ladders and words like knives

Brooke Fraser

Hosea’s wife.

Words…

Words.

I think about this song a lot.

I think about that refrain a lot.

“What do I live for?”

What do you live for?

Brooks Hatlen was right in Shawshank Redemption when he said “The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry”. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eLyfvZGCzk) Somewhere along the way, that which we live for changed. We got ourselves in a big damn hurry.

And while at it, it became okay to squander this life, if in the doing, we’d be having fun.

Somewhere a long the way, it became okay to use  people like ladders and words like knives.

What do I live for?

I think a lot about the meaning of life. What is it that we are here to do? What is it that we are here to chase after? When happiness and pleasure seem like such lofty ideals, why is it that somehow we are always craving more?

We don’t sleep for dreaming about money and chasing after fame and fortune. We spend our wakeful moments working and hoping and striving and fighting and stealing and killing… If only so we’ll be rich! Is it worth it? Family and friend be damned, church and world too.

I was talking to a friend turned stranger, about life and love and all things relational. “It always ends in tears…” she said with a forlorn look in her eye. “If he’s going to break my heart, by all means I better get money!” There it was. A redefinition of love in popular culture. It is there in our songs and in our jokes. It’s all over our social media interactions. We are no longer unapologetic in our use and dismiss culture. Compassion, Grace, and virtue are merely words. We now call it “Character Development”. Love is dead, so get money, or get sex, or boost your social standing. But to love for love’s sake? Why, you must be mad!

Self seems the ultimate deity. And upon his altar we would burn it all down!

Is it any different amongst believers?

We now prophesy to our months, and tell them to give us wealth and health and all things pleasurable. “September to Remember” is stuck in my brain like a broken record because when that month started a few weeks ago, we were assaulted by that clip on all socials. You know the one I’m talking about… Dear friends, did your decrees work? What catchy ego massaging quote is being peddled this month? I seem not to have seen one that rhymes with October.

There was a time when the Scriptures were the standard of life and the preaching of it was esteemed in the church. Now we have lights and dance and sound and entertainment on Sunday, a show of electric proportions, as though all we needed was a local circus to salve our conscience and numb our aching hearts to the cry for more.

We have welcomed politicians to our pulpits and esteemed them like gods.

We have sanitized sin and called it “faults and weaknesses” and announced to all and sundry, this is just who I am!

What do we live for?

We seem to have forgotten.

I was reading from the Valley of Vision maybe two days ago. And this prayer really seemed apt.

What else could be your duty and privilege oh soul, than to rejoice in God?

Upon what else could you find satisfaction if Christ wasn’t your ultimate joy?

It seems strange to urge us back to the old ways, when all around us new seems to be in vogue. But that’s precisely what we need , if we would halt this slide.

There’s only one way to be a happy hedonist. To have your hedonism solely focused on God as your end. All other things, bright and flashy as they seem are but salty water and your thirst will never be quenched.