| Title | : | Love in a Broken Vessel (Treasure of His Love) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0800721691 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780800721695 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 448 |
| Publication | : | First published March 1, 2013 |
With her potent combination of in-depth research and masterful storytelling, Mesu Andrews brings to life a complex and fascinating biblical story of the power of love and forgiveness in the face of utter betrayal.
Love in a Broken Vessel (Treasure of His Love) Reviews
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As a young prophet-in-training, studying under the likes of Amos and Jonah at the prophets' camp in Judah, Hosea dreamed of the day God would make complete the prophetic call on his life, granting him his first prophetic mission. But when the message comes, it contains a caveat the likes of which Hosea never dreamed. Called to return to Israel, the homeland he'd left twelve years before to study God and His word, Hosea is filled with a mixture of fear and honor when God grants him his first prophetic mission to return to Israel, admonishing the people to abandon their idolatry and return to Yahweh. But the message is only half the mission -- for Hosea is to marry a prostitute, an unfaithful harlot, and in loving her -- in binding himself physically and spiritually to a woman who embodies everything a righteous Israelite would find abhorrent -- become a living, breathing example of God's never-failing love for His faithless people. When the woman in question turns out to be Gomer, Hosea's childhood friend, long thought lost, Hosea is shaken to his core -- for loving this woman will test his faith in God's promises like he'd never thought possible. For this woman, this known harlot, threatens to break his heart far beyond the bounds of human endurance, filling Hosea with a love that only a God who loves us in our brokenness, who loves us in spite of ourselves, in spite of our failings, could comprehend.
Gomer lost all faith in the goodness of man when her father, the man who should have protected her innocence, sold her to the priestesses of Asherah for personal, political gain. When her affair with a Baal priest threatens scandal, Gomer is left at the door of a brothel, consigned to a life working the dusty Samarian streets. With survival her only aim, she has long since resigned herself to doing whatever she must in order to protect herself from harm. When she earns the ire of a powerful general for disrupting the king's sacrifice to Molech, her shocked surprise at Hosea's appearance is quickly overcome by his offer of marriage and what it means -- the rare chance to escape the brothel. But life as a prophet's wife presents its own set of challenges, and with little faith in Hosea's promises and even less in his God, Gomer finds herself returning to her former life again and again -- anything that facilitates her control over her life, protecting a heart battered, scarred, and shuttered by years of abuse and neglect. Time and again Gomer rejects Hosea and his God -- and time and again Hosea, propelled by faith in his God, offers her mercy. Could even her life, shattered and cracked beyond all human hope of repair, be redeemed into fresh life and purpose if she but surrenders to Yahweh?
With her third novel, Mesu Andrews continues to astound with her gift for bringing scripture to life on the page, and like its predecessors, Love in a Broken Vessel speaks powerfully to God's never-failing love and provision, bringing stories thousands of years old to life with a compelling, undeniable relevancy. The scriptural background for Hosea and Gomer's personal lives is relatively limited, especially when compared to the scripture covering Job and Solomon for her previous books. The Book of Hosea is one of the Old Testament's slimmest texts, and of the fourteen chapters only the first three discuss Hosea and Gomer's marriage, setting the stage for its use as an illustration of God's relationship with unfaithful Israel in the subsequent eleven chapters of prophetic poetry. Thus their lives are ripe for fictional interpretation, but as always Andrews carefully grounds her suppositions in scripture, research, and historic fact, lending her construct of the Hosea/Gomer relationship an undeniable sense of authenticity.
Hosea and Gomer's story has been brought to life before, perhaps most notably Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, which transplants the story and characters into the setting of a prairie romance. Personally, for me, that lessens a critical component of the story -- their lives and marriage in relation to God's plan for Israel, His chosen people. By recreating their lives against the backdrop of the turbulent times in which they lived, Andrews succeeds in bringing to life the scriptural text with a spiritual relevancy that evokes the times in which they lived and the timelessness of the message, sketching the continued relevancy of the scripture today against her dramatic backdrop.
Love in a Broken Vessel is most similar in tone and content to Andrews's debut, Love Amid the Ashes, with its stirring, challenging examination of the role suffering plays in a believer's life. It's always been a bit easier for me to see Hosea in terms of his prophecies, but this novel is a stark, poignant reminder of the prophet's very human side, and the very real cost (and struggles) that came with his obedience to God in all things. When reading Hosea, it is potentially easy to fall into the trap of viewing the personal aspects of the text as ancillary, forgetting -- or merely not connecting -- the potent personal drama playing out between Hosea and Gomer with the tumult the straying nations of Israel and Judah faced during their lifetimes.
Like her previous efforts, here Andrews once again brings the "bones" of scripture to vibrant life, restoring the relatability and passion to Hosea and Gomer -- all too easy to classify as "characters" in scripture, while here the full scope of their lives is vibrantly reimagined on the page. I loved Hosea's passion for God and the raw honesty with which he grapples the full implications of what God is working out in his prophetic ministry as well as his personal life. But Gomer - oh! - she broke my heart. Perhaps one of Andrews's best-realized characters, the tragedy of her life -- the numerous betrayals, the pain of living to endure rather than thrive -- just broke me. By fleshing out Gomer's character, restoring her humanity, Andrews gives full sway to the heart-breaking reality of God's heartache over Israel's idolatry on a national/global level through this extraordinarily personal account of a woman who, over and over again, rejects the redemption and restoration Hosea and his Lord offer -- all because she's bought into the lie that she's come too far to be redeemed.
Where Job faced suffering from a position of faith, Gomer does so as an outsider, as one unprepared and ill-equipped to believe in sovereign God who loves her. While in our humanity one might often mistake silence or the absence of action, of prevention, for a lack of care, here the balance is redressed -- human failings, choices, free will, are heart-breakingly wrought out, but through ever tear, every disappointment Andrews weaves a ribbon of faith that brilliantly illustrates God's sovereignty, redemption, and passion for His people. Rich with history, intrigue, and personal and political turmoil, Love in a Broken Vessel is a stunning story of God's love, of His delight in His children, of His passion for welcoming the prodigal, healing the wounded, and restoring the broken. This is a tale that will stay with you long after you finish the final pages -- a story of conviction and encouragement, one to savor -- an extraordinary gift that will encourage and inspire. Bravo, Mesu -- very, very well done. -
Title: Love in a Broken Vessel
Author: Mesu Andrews
Pages: 448
Year: 2013
Publisher: Revell
A couple years back I began to earnestly study the Word at a depth I had never done before. As a result of studying and learning more about the history of real people, nations, places and such, my heart opened up to a deeper level of knowing God. While the New Testament teaches as well as unveils, the Old Testament lays a foundation and reveals. I have been learning recently to remember the Word is not something to be read with a western mindset for much is missed when we forget the origin as well as depth of its birth. When I read through the Word, I see God as Someone way beyond our understanding let alone our language. The book of Hosea has such distinct writing that fits into the overall making of the larger story, a real, true and living story.
Basically, the prophet Hosea was commanded to marry a harlot or prostitute. Then, God begins to share a tiny piece of His reason why He commanded such. I call it a “tiny piece” because were He to reveal Himself in totality what flesh could stand? Not only is that one book of the Old Testament to read, but also 2 Kings and others the author shares to help us see and know the reality behind the fiction. Francine Rivers wrote a book called Redeeming Love that tells some of Hosea and Gomer’s story, but in a modern setting. Here, Mesu Andrews tells the story with the setting at the time it occurred in Ancient Israel.
Mesu shares how Francine’s story touched her heart and why she wrote this novel. Mesu did a lot of reading and research in an attempt to portray a historical event accurately. I must say I think this is another novel to have on the shelf right next to Francine’s novel. Why? Regardless of our past or present, marital status, race, denomination or whatever, we all long for love that will not let us go no matter how hard we might try to run from it. Gomer ran back to her previous lifestyle more than once, and the last time she had to be bought back. Gomer had to choose to relinquish her attempts to fill the void in her heart her way. Gomer also had to choose whether to remain faithful to Hosea or not. Does this not sound like each one of us? Don’t we all attempt in our own way to fill the desire for love with a thousand different other things? Then, when we stop our vain attempts, don’t we all hear the shout of insecurity, wondering if anyone would ever love us regardless of our individual pasts?
For me, reading Love in a Broken Vessel was more than just enjoyment; it was also reminding me of God’s love that fills this broken vessel. He chooses to fill me with Himself and the Holy Spirit, and it still takes my breath away when I think about that day thirty plus years ago. He does it anew every day in my life, today and all my tomorrows, if I open my heart to Him. The novel is more than a fictional story with a Biblical basis; it touches the soul deeply. I hope you not only get a copy for yourself, but also one for anyone else you know who needs to know for the first time or to be reminded of His unending love for each one of us. The author has a website with additional material for those who want to know Him more.
My rating is 5+ stars.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. Other reviews can be read at
http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspo... . Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at
https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson... -
This is one of the best Biblical fiction books I've read. The Old Testament can seem stiff and impersonal at times, and this author breathes new life into stories we are already familiar with. It brought new awareness to the true sacrifice Hosea gave in his obedience to the Lord's command to marry a prostitute, and how that could have affected him and those around him. And of course, Gomer's journey was an element I hadn't even considered. I cannot wait to read more of Mesu's books!
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Mesu Andrews with her powerful storytelling, in-depth research into the culture, life and times of this Biblical period, creates a compelling, multi-layered novel.
God gives the prophet Hosea a command to marry a prostitute in order to show God's people the nature and depth of God's love. As a child Hosea had been good friends with Gomer. Now as he seeks to follow God's command, he finds Gomer at a brothel. She is broken hearted and abused and trusts no one including Hosea or God. But Gomer uses Hosea as a means of escape because she is good at surviving.
So many times I wanted to scream at Gomer "just listen" or "you idiot;" but, unfortunately, we all have times when we become hard headed and are sure we know what is the right thing for us to do. We just don't get what God has is the best for us. It seemed like Hosea often felt the same way. But it is only when we come to know God personally that we can see that He does know what is best for us, and we can learn that no matter how far away we are from Him that He is always waiting for our return with forgiveness and mercy in His heart because we are all broken vessels.
Gomer sums it up beautifully in the conclusion:
"We're all broken vessels, King Hezekiah. Redemption comes when we submit to Yahweh's hands and are mended by His mercy. Only then can we be filled with his love and be poured out on the broken lives around us."
Wonderful Biblical fiction that brings this complex and fascinating story to life. -
What I love about Mesu Andrew's writing, is that she keeps her books to the Biblical facts, while bringing the characters alive by colouring in the stories we know, with emotions, thoughts and everyday struggles.
The Book Hosea is not an easy book - God using Hosea and Gomer to reflect His people's relationship with him. This book in turn, was also not easy to read. I got angry and frustrated with Gomer's decisions - she made so many choices which took her down a dark, broken road, whereas, if she just trusted Hosea and what he is giving her, would have taken her on a path of love, life, and lightness. But can I really be angry with her when looking back to my relationship with God, I also made choices which led me away from the fullness God wanted to give.
Hosea - Mesu Andrews brought this prophet down to earth for me. I was a bit bothered about some of Hosea's thoughts around Gomer and at first, I rated this book 3 stars. But thinking about it for a few days - God asked a lot from Hosea and I never thought about the impact on him. Yes, he got angry, hurt and frustrated, but what else can a reader expect when your wife decides on a path of prostitution and God asks you not only to take her back and love her, but raise her children.
So, yes, after thinking about it and all the emotions this book woke up in me, I think 3 stars was too low.
There was also a lot about worshipping pagan gods which was what was going on in that period, just not always nice to hear about (sacrificing babies).
Not a book for sensitive readers, but, if you have read Hosea in the Bible, highly recommended. -
Overall, I got a lot out of this book by the time I finished. It really brings the era of the Biblical prophets to life. The more Hosea and Gomer's marriage suffered because of the hardness of her heart, the more the story felt real to me. The details regarding the pain and suffering Gomer was willing to go through because it scared her less than the feeling of being utterly loved is very real with people who have been abused in childhood. The author did a fantastic job showing why hurt people run from love. It scares them.
The characters also had some great questions and a reason to fear God. They saw how God smote King Uzziah with leprosy because of his pride. Many times I have heard in sermons about God's judgement because of Israel's wickedness before, but I didn't realize just how sick the people were until I read this book. It's one thing to read about pregnant women being ripped open in the Bible, but being in Hosea's head as he sees this makes it feel real as opposed to just a statement of fact. This is just one example, though. The fact that the kings allowed the people to worship in the high places (because they were afraid to go into the temple) resulted in neglect of God's house and compromise when it came to worship. Everything got perverted and twisted around because of fear.
Whenever I read a book I always look for the overall lesson in the story. This one is a great illustration of how God's ways don't often make sense when we are in the midst of things, but in the end we get a clearer picture of what God was doing in our lives because He loves us. If Hosea hadn't married Gomer as God commanded, he would not have suffered so much, yes, but at the same time Gomer never would have been saved from her life of sin and brought into a relationship with the living God. It tore Hosea's heart open many times because of her unfaithfulness, but in the end, their love was stronger. It hurt worse than anything Hosea had ever known, yet God used it to illustrate His commitment to Israel despite the pain resulting from their idolatry. I liked how the author brought that all together.
At first, I found the book amusing, if not a bit corny. It was the same way I felt about some scenes in Love Amid the Ashes. Other than the scenario with the Prince of Shechem in that book, much of the dialog didn't work for me. But after the first 100 pages of Love in a Broken Vessel, I really felt like the novel had engaged my heart. So if for some reason the beginning doesn't pull you in, hang in there because the complete story is worth it.
I loved how Gomer worked with pottery in the story. At the end, there is an illustration of how Israel will never be without scars, just like you'd see when looking at a broken pot glued back together. People who rebel against the Lord will never be completely whole again, but they can still be useful. Brokenness does lead to healing if we let God bind us back together with his healing glue, but we'll always have cracks and scars resulting from our straying. The message, however, is that there no one so damaged that God can't heal them and use them for His glory. Great message. Good book! -
Beautifully researched history, evocative scenery, genuine questions and dilemmas, plus a haunting depiction of God’s interaction with real people, all work together to make Mesu Andrews Love in a Broken Vessel a classic in the vein of Lloyd Douglas’ The Robe, Lew Wallace’s Ben Hur, Rosemary Sutcliffe or Taylor Caldwell. The warring worlds of Judah and Israel come to vivid life. Political threats and alliances, military schemes, business and betrayal form a convincing background to the tale of one loving man and the girl he fell for back when they were children. But Hosea has left his native Israel and grown up under the tutelage of Amos and Jonah. He's a prophet allied with the half-royal Isaiah and eager young Micah. Meanwhile Gomer has been sold into harlotry. She’s good, very good at what she does, but she’s learned to trust no-one. Nobody stays. Nobody means what they say, except when it’s bad.
Sadly much of what God has to say may seem bad, even as coincidence or guidance bring the childhood friends back together. Why would a good God make a good king sick? How can a forgiving God declare he’ll never forgive Israel's harlotry? And how, after laying claim to unforgiving anger, can God then turn around expecting thanks for the gift of healing? Does the harlot symbolize all that God despises, or perhaps all he seeks to redeem? And how can Hosea’s love be trusted if his first loyalty is to God?
Author Mesu Andrews reminds her characters that God speaks in different ways, while giving her readers pleasing insights into how God’s voice might be heard. In the gentle wind, in the dream, in fire, in love, God finds a way, and this story reveals how love can both heal and be healed, how forgiveness is never impossible, and how God’s kindness might win through. Beautifully blending Biblical references, well-researched history and well-told imagination, Love in a Broken Vessel is deeply human and genuinely enthralling. I shall definitely lend this one to my Mum when next she visits, and I'll look forward to reading more by this author.
Disclosure: I met the author and bought her book, then she signed it. Lucky me! -
My former statement remains true; Mesu uses scripture as a baseline and then adds possible fiction to the storytelling to bring the names to life and gives them form and face in imagination. It causes you to want to go back and delve more. Love in a Broken Vessel is not just a story trying to explain a story, but it’s another layer deep. Yes it is about Hosea showing Gomer what true love is like as an example of of God’s love for the nation of Israel, but through Mesu’s words of putting ink to paper it is also Christ’s love for his every creation. Through the facets of human love as well as immortal love, never ending unconditional love.
Gomer has such a personality that jumps off the page! She is so independent and has fit herself into a mold to show a face of bravery when she is really just so terrified of everything that is and could be. Never shown certain things before, so why should she believe all this change just because Hosea says it’s so? Hosea has been raised in the truth and seems to have a direct communication with God, so why should we expect him to struggle? Every page is filled with a bit of surprise as well as interest that keeps things going. While my heart is not completely as enraptured as it was with Love’s Sacred Song, I’m still captivated by the ideals of Biblical Fiction coming to life right off the pages in a possible what-was retelling.
*Thanks to Mesu and Revell for providing a copy for review.*
“Available March 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
Don’t forget you may want more and to go back and read Dinah’s story in Love Amid the Ashes and Arielah and Solomon’s tale in Love’s Sacred Song. Love’s Sacred Song is amazing! That book had me by the heart and held on. Oh, and there is also an interview from March 2012 with Mesu from the ChristianHistoricalFiction.com archives!
posted:
http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2... -
"Love in a Broken Vessel" is a powerful read, one that breathes with historical authenticity and heart-rending emotion, and has left me contemplating the vast love of God. Mesu Andrews does a fantastic job at bringing to life the story of the prophet Hosea, called by God to love a prostitute as a display of God's love for his chosen people of Israel. The characters are richly drawn, with much about them to admire while still definitely showing their human side as well. Gomer is a woman that you will quickly grow to care about, even as you may find yourself shaking your head at some of her actions and her often hard-heart. I love the author's portrayal of the various prophets you meet in this story, from Hosea to Jonah to Isaiah, and I can honestly say that I have gained a deeper appreciation of the cost that they paid to honor God's calling on their lives. I found myself asking if I could ever be as bold as they were, sharing God's message to a king who could strike them dead, telling people to turn back to God even if that may end up costing them their lives. I was not only fully entertained by this story, but I was challenged in my faith as well - and that makes for a worthy novel indeed.
Biblical fiction doesn't get better than this! I award this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. -
Yay! A new favorite Biblical fiction author for me to enjoy! She’s right up there with Tessa Afshar and Jill Eileen Smith. This mesmerizing book is based on the story of the Old Testament prophet Hosea, who, as you may remember, was commanded by God to marry a harlot to illustrate Israel’s relationship with God. Of course, Mesu had to include quite a bit of fiction to flesh out this book (based on a book of prophecy), but it all seemed accurate and was very well done. I was especially impressed by how many direct quotes there were from the Bible and specifically the book of Hosea. All worked neatly into the story! This book naturally deals with some tough material, but Mesu handled it very tastefully and without over much detail – though this still isn’t a book for younger readers. That being said, it was an intriguing book and you won’t be able to put it down! Do you like Biblical fiction? If so, definitely recommending this author and this book.
Available March 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
**Revell sent me a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are mine and are honest. I wasn’t required to post a positive review.** -
This is the first book I have read by Mesu Andrews, but it won't be the last. Even the title has so much meaning, and it will be clear to you once you finish this book.
How could anyone sell their child, and into prostitution. What a hard life Gomer has had, but even with all of her sins God was looking out for her. Hosea, God's Profit, receives a message from God to marry a prostitute. Gomer is there, and she is an old childhood friend...indeed they have been on different paths.
This book is reading a living Bible...you feel like you are in the tents, markets, and even at the bloody battle scenes. Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down, and it will move your spirit. Your heart will cry out for these people, and yet they have brought all on themselves with their worshiping of idols. Paganism is rampant, and their is so much evil. Satan has taken a hold, Israel has always God's chosen people, but they were turning their backs on him.
A very different read from my usual, but one that will be lingering with me for a long time.
I received this book through Revell Publisher's Bloggers Tours, and was not required to give a positive review. -
Love In a Broken Vessel is Biblical fiction at its finest. Mesu Andrews truly brought the story of Hosea and Gomer to life. Her descriptions of life in biblical times, as well as the thoughts and feelings of her characters created such a compelling story of love and heartbreak and finally redemption and hope. Gomer, the harlot, has such a broken heart and feelings of abandonment in her life. Hosea, the prophet, has such a true love for her. Watching Gomer break Hosea's heart again and again as a representation of how Israel broke God's heart (and even as a representation of how we all break God's heart with our sins) was painful, but spoke to my heart. This was a wonderful book, so well written and so deep. I highly recommend it. I was blessed to receive this book for free from the author, through a contest on bookfun.org. I was not required to write a review for this book, but wanted to offer my thoughts on it.
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Love in a Broken Vessel is a powerful, fictional portrayal of the story of Hosea and Gomer. God's love for His people, who have broken His heart over and over again, hits you full impact in this book. Another great novel by Mesu Andrews!
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“They will be my people, and I will be their God. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.”
Acts 4:12, Jeremiah 32:38 & Hosea 14:4
(Normally, my reviews are supposed to be structured but this time, they’ll be as messy as my emotions were for this book.)
This book, pulled my heart like never before. I’m amazed at how I kept reading it despite how annoyed and irritated I got. Mesu Andrews knows how to write a good story, not just a book. She brought the book of Hosea to life in a refreshing way I’ve never experienced before, and her historical breadth is simply amazing. From weaving the annals of the kings to referencing prophecies from prophets like Isaiah, Ms. Mesu did it all. And boy can I talk about Hosea. Using the word “amazing” or “godly” would simply be an understatement at how he amazed me in this book, bringing me into the realization that just because one is God’s messenger does not mean one is God Himself. Countless amount of times, Hosea failed. And he expressed that, whether through tears, angry outbursts or maybe even both. He let Yahweh know how he felt, how raw his emotions had been when he realized his wife’s debauchery and messy past, and how confused he would feel when Yahweh called him to tasks he couldn’t comprehend. How about Gomer? As much as I hated her during the beginning, middle and near the end of the book I couldn’t grow to end up loving her as I see her heart become changed and renewed like never before. As much as I despised her, I grew to view her in new lenses near the end and this isn’t to excuse her sin, no in fact while acknowledging her sins it reminded me of mines. My own depravity. How like Gomer, I’ve rejected such amazing love again and again, rebelling against the very Power who wanted me and loved me like I had never known. Like Israel and Judah, I abandoned my God for counterfeits that couldn’t satisfy believing the lie that He never would. As Israel and Judah became entangled with worldly affairs, becoming like the world around them so did I, instead of living distinctly apart. Like Assyria, and all the other pagan cities, including Israel and Judah themselves the Lord’s chosen nation I loved darkness, and was blinded by it. Reminding me of characters like Hananiah or Tamir, or Eitan and many others who engaged with evil, we sought after evil as well. We confused good as evil, and evil as good; loving those who hated us and despising those who loved us. Yet despite that. Despite how we have all failed and gone away from our first Love, He chased us and found us in our deepest failures. When we hit the rocky pits, He came swooping down to save us, oh praise Yeshua the One who Saves! Two lessons from this book, one being that salvation is from God alone and we aren’t the ones to save those we love the most. Many times, Hosea spoke the word of the Lord to Gomer, yet her heart remained unchanged thus showing that it is the Lord that saves, however this also means we shouldn’t give up for those we love and pray for. God HEARS us, and even when we think as if these people are too far gone, if He could love and save a rebellious nation like Israel (and us too) He can surely save these people. Secondly, God can heal our broken pieces turning them into something beautiful, like that vase that broke yet was mended and It’s use was extremely needed. I love this book. I thank God for how amazing and deep and encaptivating(if this is a word lol) His love is. ❤️ -
What a lovely re-telling of the story of Hosea and Gomer from the Bible! One thing I love about Biblical fiction is that it takes a familiar story, puts it in the correct cultural context and brings the characters to life! When I get to Hosea in my Bible reading, I will completely read it differently this time around. I have thoroughly enjoyed every novel I've read by Mesu Andrews and this one was no different!
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Another good one from Mesu Andrews. I really appreciate her attention to the truth and how she uses her imagination in creative ways where scripture is silent. It is fiction but it makes the Old Testament stories come alive making the characters more real in my mind. I read the Old Testament stories through a new lens - thank you!!
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I loved it!
This is my second retelling of Hosea and Gomer’s story and this definitely is my favourite.
I loved how Mesu Andrew’s told each of the characters individual stories in a raw, emotional and a relatable way. My heart broke many times for both Hosea, Gomer and their children. But I was also inspired by each of their spiritual journey’s.
I give 4 stars to Lisa Larsen for a engaging audio performance.
Recommended for Biblical fiction fans :) -
I am so excited to tell you about a book I recently finished, and quite honestly I am missing!! I find myself thinking about the characters as I work around the house. Really. It was that good that I still am thinking about what they are doing “in their world” today. I loved it.
Love in a Broken Vessel is a story about a man and a woman. You may know a bit about them. You may have even read another amazing book about this man and woman. Don’t let any of that influence you when it comes to reading this book. Read it whether you know them or now, whether you have read other books about them or not.
Hosea and Gomer. Many of us know their terrible story, or was it a great story? Well, really, it is both. It is terrible heart break and betrayal, and complete and utter forgiveness and love – all wrapped up together. I have read both Redeeming Love, another novel based on the Bible story, and I have read the Bible story – but this story is still stuck in my head. I have found myself asking, how am I like the Israelites? How have I rejected God’s complete love for me?
This story of Gomer and Hosea was amazing, it gave me a real look into what Gomer could have been feeling many years ago as Hosea pursued her. To see how she felt herself so unworthy despite his love for her.
Mesu Andrews wrote this beautiful story, she also wrote one of my other favorite books Love’s Sacred Song – another biblical fiction novel. I love the depth she brings to a story through her research. You can almost smell the fragrances as Gomer walks through the markets, you can just imagine her asherah idol hidden among the dishes collecting the grime of the air, you can feel the love that Hosea pours out on Gomer time and again. I really felt connected to these characters, seeing their lives as real and not just the books in the Bible. {check out her blog to learn more about her!!}
I love to read Mesu Andrews and hope you will pick up a copy of this amazing book and check her out for yourself!!
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NOTE : I was offered a copy of Love in a Broken Vessel at no cost, in exchange for a n honest review, by Revell Publishers. -
Love in a Broken Vessel
By Mesu Andrews
What if God told you to marry the last type of person you'd ever think of marrying? Would you do it? Would you marry a woman who had given her body to other men in the worship of false gods? Would you think God was playing a trick on you?
This is the message Hosea received from God. But could he give his heart to a prostitute and love her as God loved the nation of Israel even though their love was rejected for the fleeting love of another?
Love in a Broken Vessel is a powerful and moving look at the power of God's love and even, in a way, the forgiveness of God.
Gomer, from a young age was forced into a life of selling her body for the pleasures of men under the guise of worship. It is into this very environment that Hosea has come to warn the nation of Israel that the time of punishment was drawing nigh. God was offering His chosen people a chance to return to Him and to give up their false worship. But Hosea's words fell on deaf ears and hardened hearts.
But in addition to delivering God's warning Hosea is to also marry a prostitute. Hosea's marriage to Gomer is to be a parallel to God's relationship with Israel. How long can God love a people who refuse to worship or acknowledge Him? How often can a husband be expected to forgive a wife who seeks out other men? Does he accept the children of her unfaithfulness as his own? Or will he reject her as she seemingly rejects him?
But God's love is true as is the love Hosea has for his wife. God has redeemed His love through the blood of His Son. Hosea is to redeem his wife but only after she has suffered for her unfaithfulness and can fully grasp the redeeming love that is again offered to her.
If you have ever read the book of Hosea you need to read Love in a Broken Vessel which is a story of unfailing love and redemption. This is a moving story that will touch the heart of any sinner who has experienced the redeeming love of the Savior.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, all opinions are my own.
Available March 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. -
Love In A Broken Vessel by Mesu Andrews
Choices are made every day, sometimes good ones and sometimes bad ones. Two abbas (fathers) make choices that have far reaching effects on their children and their futures as well as those around them. One abba and his son, Hosea move to Tekoa and Hosea attends the prophet school and becomes a prophet. The other abba sells his daughter, Gomer at age 12 to the temple of the gods in Israel and is abused and eventually sold as a prostitute.
The prophet Hosea is commanded by Yahweh to marry a prostitute and have children with her to show God’s people how much Yahweh loves Israel. Hosea sets out for Israel not knowing who God will direct him to marry. Arriving in Israel, Hosea seeks the prostitute Yahweh has picked for him to marry and finds his childhood friend Gomer. Gomer has no plans to marry Hosea or serve Yahweh. Struggling over the years by the choices they, Gomer and Hosea, have made affect not only their relationship, the children but many family and friends.
I like the picture of how much Yahweh (God) loves Israel and the lengths He goes to get the attention of His people to share that love with them. Not all the choices His people made were good choices, a lot were really bad choices. We get a glimpse of a few of those lives and the struggles they went through in Love In A Broken Vessel. Even though Gomer’s life was a broken vessel (shattered even) Yahweh took that brokenness and redeemed it making her whole, like new. Hosea learned many things regarding loving his wife unconditionally just as Yahweh loves His people unconditionally.
I found parts of the book hard to read, almost skimmed over them at times as the book was a little long for me and repetitive. But as a whole, the book was very well written.
~I won a copy of this book from Goodreads via the author/publisher (no monetary gain were exchanged), this is my honest review~ -
This is truly one of the best Biblical fiction books I have read, and is a book I have already been recommending to people and telling them about. This is what Biblical fiction should be: a great story from Scripture that has a great message and helps the reader better understand and grasp the Bible version of the story.I don't read or review much Christian fiction, but have always been intrigued by the story of Hosea and Gomer. I've always enjoyed the retelling of the story that Francine Rivers did with her novel Redeeming Love, which was NOT Biblical fiction. This book is, and is totally different from Redeeming Love.
There is Biblical fiction that is mediocre, some that is pretty good, and some that is better than the norm. Love In a Broken Vessel falls into the latter. It far exceeded my expectations, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author takes some liberties with the fictional aspect of the book that I felt only added to the story instead of taking away from. She brought the story to life and filled in the holes and helped me to better understand this short book of the Bible that I often skip past. It is obvious the author did a lot of study and work before writing this novel, and it isn't just a sweet love story. She does a tremendous job of showing what God was trying to get across: That Israel was going after other gods and it was like prostitution, but Andrews doesn't leave it at that. I felt it brought it closer home, to the reader of her book, about the love God has for us today, and how we can also liken ourselves to Hosea and Gomer when we go after other things before God.
This book is truly one of the best Biblical fiction novels I have read, and does what great Biblical fiction should do: Tell the Biblical narrative in such a way as to help the reader better understand it, and to present the true message of the story in such a manner that it sticks with the reader and adds to the story, and doesn't detract from it. -
I really enjoy reading biblical fiction. While there is no better source than the Bible itself, reading biblical fiction allows me to retain the story and the message that God was trying to give in an easier fashion.
Love in a Broken Vessel is based off the book of Hosea and helps explain why God had wanted Hosea to marry Gomer. Gomer was representing Israel and the fact that Israel had turned away from God. Gomer was a childhood friend of Hosea, but when he shows up, she turns her back on him and doesn't want to have anything to do with him. Having no other choice, she relents and marries him, only to go back to her old ways. Hosea shows enormous faith and character in taking her back again. In much the same way that God was faithful to Israel, even though they turned away from Him - and as we struggle in our day to day walk with God, and may turn away, He is forever faithful to us as well.
It is a beautiful love story and the author does a great job in bringing the characters to life. It was easy to become immersed in the story and to feel the pain and betrayal, as well as the forgiveness and love that both Hosea and Gomer felt. This is the third book in the series, New Treasures of Love from Old Testament Tales, and I am looking forward to reading the first two that I missed! -
A beautiful telling of Hosea and Gomer's tale of love and redemption.
To be completely honest I was pretty hesitant to begin this book as I knew the general drift of the story and that it would be a heart breaker, and at times hard to read. But I dove in and found myself flipping the pages as if I'd never heard the story before.
I loved how Ms. Andrews rendered the characters in such a way that I felt for them and understood why they did they things they did, and the how the world they were living in affected them and their circumstances.
Throughout this book I could tell that hours of serious research was put into this book, because of how realistically Hosea and Gomer's world was brought to life.
In conclusion, what a hard story to tell, yet Ms. Andrews pulled it off in a way that I couldn't help but love! That doesn't happen everyday now does it? This is a beautiful, yet heart-breaking story and I think that Ms. Andrews handled the tougher parts well, giving the emotion, yet few details. Ms. Andrews continues to surprise me, with how much I love her masterful tellings of what it might have been like in Bible times. 5 stars for this excellent book!
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! -
I truly did enjoy this book!!! There are so many Biblical fiction books out there that don't really use the Bible as their guideline for a Biblical fiction story. I really do appreciate Mesu Andrews for just being a yielded vessel when she wrote this book.
The basis of the story of Hosea and Gomer is redemption. I believe this book did a really good job portraying how redemption was played in the life of Gomer and also how God's redemptive love is renewed everyday in our lives.
I also loved how she included different things that MAY have happened from a historical stand-point in a creative way. I admit the reason why I don't read as many Biblical fiction books as I would another genre of a christian fiction books, is that many times different authors write something totally different than what is already in the Bible. I really love how this book kept the balance between reality and fiction. I'm really looking forward to her next book!!! -
It's really hard for me to describe this book, especially so fresh after finishing it. It's one of those books that grabbed me and didn't let me go, even after finishing it. Gomer, though a Biblical heroine, is easily identified with by modern day readers, for her struggles with God are timeless and relevant to the struggles anyone today could and probably do have with seeking the Lord. The parallels between Hosea's love and God's love are clearly seen, and at each step in this book, the reader is encouraged to think about and almost feel what the characters are feeling right along with them. I've read the other books currently published by Ms. Andrews, but none of them made me feel like this one has. It is well worth reading!
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I almost feel bad writing a review of this book because I really think the issues I had with it were my own and not Mesu Adams'. Although I loved her storytelling and the emotion and detail she packed into the story, I just cannot seem to get into biblical fiction because I'm constantly evaluating the things that are said or that happen through a lens of, "Hmm, I wonder if that's how it really happened?" Unlike the classic novel from Francine Rivers, Redeeming Love, which also tells the story of Hosea and Gomer set in a different time and place, I wasn't able to suspend my disbelief enough to really lose myself in this story, which definitely took away from the experience.
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Mesu Andrews writes Biblical fiction at its best. Combing scripture and what could have been the culture and times woven into believable, "put me right there" stories.
This is the story of Hosea and Gomer. The prophet whom God told to marry a harlot to show how Israel has turned from God to worship idols.
Told in 3 parts that both break and redeem your heart. Masterful. -
I think my main grievance is that I didn't always understand the characters' motivations. Sometimes I felt the characters only acted certain ways at certain points because the Bible says they did.
