It's a shocking story—a man who loved, wooed, and then eventually won the heart of a whore. I know it's not a pleasant word or a nice story. But as Haddon Robinson explains in this week's sermon, "The World's Best Love Story," Hosea isn't a pretty book. It's the raw but beautiful story of God's love for us, his unfaithful people who keep running after lesser gods. You'll love the way Haddon walks through the entire book of Hosea and then retells it in contemporary terms.

In this issue we also feature:

• Illustration: The Power of Prayer: How Author John Dixon Came to the Faith
• Sermon Series: Four Best Places to Live, by Mark Buchanan
• Video Illustration: This Love

Keep preaching the beauty of God's love story,

Matt Woodley
Managing Editor, PreachingToday.com
Mwoodley@christianitytoday.com

Matt Woodley is the pastor of compassion ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.