Devotions 09-10-07

Genesis 2:24
"For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh."

Mary Lou and I just celebrated our 48th Anniversary of oneness a few days ago. It was on Oct 6th. We got away to a nice hotel and just enjoyed two nights and nearly three days just being with each other. We had our breakfast in the hotel which was included in with our hotel room and went out to dinner a few times. On our wedding night we went to a special dinner and recalled our previous anniversary celebrations over the past eight years here in Estonia.

It was then that I began to think of what lessons I have learned about marriage in these 48 years we have had together. At least what are some new highlights I am appreciating at this time in my life. These are not in order of priority but just as they come to my mind.

A life partner is a marvelous gift of God. I am 74 and Lou is 72 and we so appreciate each other and have so much enjoyment together. We have so enjoyed serving the Lord and others during most of these years.

To have a good marriage requires work and sacrifice to keep it fresh and beautiful. Without much prayer and working at learning how to relate to one another it will not be what God intended it to be.

God must be at the center of our individual lives and the focus of our lives together. Colossians 1:18 "He (Jesus Christ) is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.". Jesus Christ having first place in our lives is a vital key to a beautiful marriage and one treasured by both.

Anniversaries are a time to have have a honeymoon and reflect on all God has done for us both. Life gets us so busy that we fail to remind ourselves of how much we truly love and appreciate each other. This of course can not be done unless I am working on the items I have mentioned all year long.

Our goal has not been to make the other partner improve but to improve my own life and pray for the other. We have learned to appreciate the differences God has given us and seek to be all God created me to be. As I grow in maturity and as I am able to love more unselfishly it is amazing how my partner begins to change. So I have learned to be more attentive to my sin and weaknesses and not be critical of my wife, my friend, my lover and c0-servant of Christ.

So have we had any problems? Yes, we have but we have done so without attacking each other or saying emotional things that we would later want to take back but cannot. We have learned to ask forgiveness and to give forgiveness freely. We recognize that we are both sinners that has needed God's forgiveness and we still need His forgiveness as we seek to live a life pleasing to Him. As we are before God so are we before each other. God is kind and gracious and loving to us in spite of our sin and so we must use God's help to be the same to each other as well.

So we give God all the credit for all He has given us. Even our working at being loving and kind to each other is to His credit because He gives us the grace and strength to do what we are so weak at doing.