Redeeming Love

I just finished reading Redeeming Love, and I have to say that I loved this book.  It's a Christian fiction book that is a quick page turner.  Redeeming Love is based off of the book of Hosea from the Bible, and how God had told the prophet to take a prostitute (Gomer) for his wife.  This marriage was a symbol of Israel's unfaithfulness, and of God's abounding grace, love, and forgiveness. 

Redeeming Love is set in the 1850's and tells the story of God telling a man (Michael Hosea) to take a prostitute (Angel) for his wife.  The story twists and turns as Angel has a hard time accepting Michael's unconditional love, as she is burdened and scarred by the chains of a rough childhood.  This book is more than a romance novel of a marriage filled with Christ-like love though.  It is the story of the Lord drawing a woman that the world has cast aside to Himself, and His cleansing, healing, forgiving, redeeming love.

One cannot help but finish this book with a renewed sense of gratitude over the way that God pursues us, and the beauty and freedom of His love.  I will definitely be reading more Francine Rivers novels in the future.

Shannon