Taste....see......and Fear

1 Peter 2:1-3
"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.


So I've only been married for 10 short months....and one of most sorrowful blessings I've received has been hearing of the failings of the marriages of friends of mine...or the falling away from the faith of professing believers that I've known since my conversion in 2000.

Having been present at some of the weddings adds something to the grief I think.....but those who have had the blessed meditations on the covenant keeping love of Christ Jesus will feel a pang hearing of professing believers getting divorced even if we've never known them personally.

Those who know me will hopefully forgive my bluntness.....but divorce is not a gray area whatsoever. The scripture (not your shrink) says that the only reason that it IS biblical (though still not the ideal) is in the case of adultery. And honestly, I'm sick of hearing women say "he was having an affair with his work, he loved it more than me" blah blah rotten blah.

Then there are those who will dare to go toe to toe with scripture and say "well, what if he's physically abusive to her and his children!!!"

Um...she should not remain in the same household, certainly not. And a redemptive separation may be the action taken, but not divorce friends. Please stop elevating human reason over the Word of God. Be there for our sisters who go through such things, but dare them to love their enemies as Jesus loved us wicked ones.
Even in the cases of adultery, the Lord gives us a picture of His covenant keeping love by loving an adultress / idolatrous nation - see Hosea....showing us what it means to keep a sacred vow.
The light and breezy marriage talk has no place among believers. And though marriage is not without it's difficulties, you can endure it. The Lord will never give you more than you can endure. If God is truly your Father, you have indeed been CALLED to suffer while doing good.

1 Peter 2:20
"But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."

All this is just on my heart lately, as a recently had a client in my office ...(on a day when I was struggling with how much work marriage is)
He had to move some things around because his wife of 5 months divorced him and left him with nothing. He said she was a believer......and that he was just baffled that she had no desire to work on the marriage and was oblivious to her own faults from the day she walked down the aisle. Refusing to go to counseling, she left feeling as though he was just a mistake.
This guy said to me something that just encouraged me and made me so very thankful.
He said "everyday that you are married to a spouse who has not quit trying to be better is a day to be very thankful for.....a willing heart to grow in an imperfect person is a miracle."

A miracle - truly.....only the regenerate can go day in and day out being convicted, needing to apologize, seeking forgiveness and HAVING the supernatural strength to say "whether my spouse changes/loves me/fill in the blank - or not, I will obey the Lord and seek their good"

Today is the day to start again....as long as you have another breath, let thankfulness to God come out that you still have opportunity to keep your vows to Him......and to live out your love for Him by obeying Him in your marriage.

Today is a good day.......I'm pretty fortunate as I think back. I almost married a make-believer.....but God graciously let that relationship die....and sadly, the Lord gave him over to his sin, and led me to the man of my dreams just 3 months later.

I fear being given over to my hard heart every day. Not quite enough....but it's there.....and if you think about those who CONVINCED us that they were our kindred and were no where near regenerate......you might find yourself crying out more often for mercy and faith.

May God break our hearts, our bodies - whatever it takes to keep us near Him.
And give us grace and peace in His presence - whatever comes.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.

love and bluntness, because I can't help it,
jen2