By Were Asenath
Could a soiled dove be cleansed, its past forgotten and light given to grace its way?
Redeeming Love was written by Francine Rivers an American author of fiction with Christian themes and was published in the year 1991.
Every time I open this book and the first sentence I read in the prologue is “The prince of darkness is a gentleman,” by Shakespeare, I get goose bumps because it reminds me that not all that glitters is gold.
Rejected by her own father, and grandparents, Sarah and her mom Mae roam the docks where coldness and hunger is their daily companion until her mom starts to sell herself for a living. Sarah at her young age is uncomfortable with the situation, having different uncles each day but understands that their presence brings food and a warm bed to sleep in so she stays cheerful.
As if the situation isn’t bad enough, it gets worse after Mae’ s death shortly after they start living on the docks. Poor girl, little does she know that cruelty awaits her outside the shack they had lived in with her mom.
Sold into prostitution at eight, life is hell for little Sarah. Handed to the Duke, her name is changed to Angel and Sarah is forever forgotten. She is taught nothing but how to dress well and please the men and be good for the duke
As a soiled dove, she becomes hardened, hates all men, never believes in love and is bent on revenge so that even when her father comes to the brothel and couldn’t remember her though she did remember him, she sleeps with him to avenge him for his rejection and after reveals her true identity
Her mind works day and night thinking of how she will escape the grip of the duke and finally manages to escape at 18 years only to land in the cruelty of the duchess, another brothel owner.
Then she meets Micheal Hosea who rescues her from all this and Marries her regardless of her past. He vows to love this soiled woman regardless of what she is, taught her how to fend for herself other than selling her body
But regardless, Angel keeps running back to her past because she is not used to the kindness and love she receives from Micheal Hosea and is afraid to fall in love with the gender she most hates and distrusts but he keeps going after her and getting her back.
Micheal Hosea later realizes that he cannot keep chasing after Angel whom he now calls Amanda but unless she receives the Lord’s redemption, she will always remain captive to her past so he lets her go and waits on God to bring her back.
Micheal Hosea in this story represents Hosea the prophet whom God askes to marry a prostitute and have children by her but even after bearing him children, Gomer keeps going back into prostitution though Hosea on the Lord’s instructions, keeps buying her back.
In the same way, humans are like Gomer and Sarah, though we keep sinning and even when forgiven keep going back, God still looks out for us, forgives our sins from time to time and provides guidance regardless of our past.
i love this book because it expresses God’s love for human beings, as brought to us by Sarah’s life. even when she keeps going back to her past,Micheal hosea keeps forgiving her and going after her. in the same way, God will always come after you regardless of the walls surrounding you he will break them down
i however did not like the fact that Sarah failed to understand that Hosea loved her for who she was not for what she can give him
I recommend this book to all those going through a hard time and need the Lord’s forgiveness and redemption because the Lord’s redeeming love can never fail you.
