I Still Do

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“And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?  So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” –Matthew 19:4-6

 26 years ago, we stood in front of a congregation of friends and family. The candles were lit, the sun shown through the stained glass windows and I held the hands of my wonderful, beautiful bride. Pastor Ken Boyd presided over the ceremony and talked of a relationship founded on the love and guidance of God our Father was able to withstand any struggles this world could bring forth. We were more than two young kids in love, we knew from the beginning that God had brought us to that very place for a purpose much bigger than us.

Love is a precious commodity and can be given or withheld based on our emotional feelings at any given moment. But, let me tell you this about the woman I was fortunate to marry. Her love is as genuine and unconditional as you will ever find on this planet. She has been gifted with the innate ability to love others through their problems, heartache and circumstances when others would normally turn away. I am so overwhelmed by the love she has given me for the last 26 years that it is beyond description.

A marriage built on the strength of the Lord and the principles of love, grace, mercy and servitude will endure.  The ratio of marriages that are ending in divorce is at an all time high, and it is my belief that in every single case you could trace the cause back to one of these areas.  There are situations of abuse, adultery and addictions that come between a husband and wife, and I hypothesize that these are outward actions to a deeper self-centeredness in one of the two partners.  Selfishness, pride and ego are all examples of one who is more concerned about themselves than those around them.  This individual offers up no grace or mercy and in most cases is not willing to serve the other person’s needs first.

If individuals took the words of the Lord seriously prior to marriage, I propose their marriage can withstand the trials of this world.  There are 3 levels of relationship: the Spiritual, the Emotional and the Physical.  At the young age of 20 – 25 most are so drawn to the other by the physical appearance and in most cases put this ahead of either the emotional or spiritual.  Any relationship that is built on sex, intimacy and a physical relationship is destined to fail at some point.  There is no substance there to hold it together for the long run, because let’s face it; there will come a time when that attractive, passionate spouse is going to become older and most likely less passionate.  At that point, what is left to provide strength to overcome obstacles in life.

The preferred path of relationship is to develop from a spiritual basis or foundation, evolving into an emotional relationship and then the realization of a physical relationship after marriage.  This path centers on God and the Holy Spirit as the strength of the relationship, forming the intimacy between the two individuals.  A solid foundation that will last throughout the married life between the man and woman shares a core belief in the one true God.  When life’s obstacles, struggles and situations arise the faith that binds these two together is held onto as the armor to defend what God has brought together. 

Furthermore, each individual with a strong relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, enters into the relationship with an attitude of love, mercy, grace and servitude.  As Christians, we are tasked in becoming more Christlike in our maturing life cycle.  This includes serving others first and thinking of themself second.  This self-lessness allows individuals to overcome many of the problems that cause strife in relationships today.  On their wedding day, individuals have no problem promising that they will stay with someone for the rest of their life, through good, bad, sickness and health; but without the love of God drawing them together and holding them together, it is nearly impossible to remain committed to that promise. 

The joy of my marriage to Lisa is that after 26 years I can still stand before her with love in my heart and state – “I do”.
             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
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One Supreme Authority

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“Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord— that you alone are the Most High over all the earth" – Psalm 83:18

He slept in that morning.  The night before had 

been filled with dining and dancing, and his head still throbbed from the spirits he had consumed in celebration of his promotion.  For years he had his eye on that corner office with the President title on the door.  He had worked in this company since he was 18 years old and here he was 35 years later reaching the pinnacle of his career.  Work had been his passion.  He left his wife and daughter in that small white house on Chestnut street when that little girl was only 7.  He was scared, confused about his priorities and made a bad decision that had haunted him for years and now all he had as proof of his former life was an 8x10 photo of her on her wedding day.  He sat on the edge of his bed and wept over her picture as the emotions overwhelmed him. 

There was a point in his life when things seemed in control.  He married right after high school, had a solid job for such a young man and was a proud father within 2 years.  Choices and bad decisions left him alone and his entire world turned upside down.  He lost his faith, his love for others and poured everything he had into his career.  Well, here he was.  He finally made it to the top, and as he looked around his Manhattan condominium he realize he was all alone at the top.  The friends who drank the night away with him only 8 hours ago were long gone.  He walked to the closet and with very depressed, evil intentions knelt down and reached for the handle of the gun case.  Then he caught a glimpse in the dim light, and he reached for the Book instead.  As he brought it out of the closet, he fell back on the floor, his back lying against the bed. 

The cover was torn and tattered.  His Dad carried it daily to and from work, to the war and back and was seen in his large easy chair reading it every morning as long back as the man could remember.  Right up until his death, this book saw him through the ups and downs of life, the struggles of raising the kids, the bankruptcy and the many struggles they had face in life.  Now here it was in the hands of his son, and it sat collecting dust in the corner of the closet for the last 25 years.  As he opened the book, it fell to the 83^rd Book of Psalms.  The anger expressed by David towards mankind, especially his enemies, leaps from the pages.  And then he gets to the last verse and it all comes rushing forward.  His life had been spent combatting with God for control, for authority and for praise.  He had taken all of the accomplishments in life and selfishly proclaimed them as his own doing.  Despite his continued success in his career, he refused to give glory to the Lord, to the ultimate authority and creator of all things.

This explained the emptiness, the hollowness and loneliness in his life.  This explained his self-centered choices in life and his hatred for mankind in general.  Lowering his face into his hands, he cried out to the Lord in shame, begging forgiveness and asking for the opportunity to serve Him.  The rush of emotions overwhelmed the man as he fell face first to the floor and poured out his life of sinful actions to the only Lord, the ultimate Authority, the One who sits upon the throne in heaven.  In a moment his life had become one with purpose, one with blessing and one with the opportunity to change the world for the good.

Where are you with God?  Is He your authority?  Is He given credit for your success?  Is God at the center of your decisions?  Have you come to the point of serving Him in the manner in which He deserves or like our example above, are you captured in the fallacy that you alone are responsible for your talents, skills, success and accomplishments?  There is only one supreme Authority and Lord on Most High and His name is Jehovah, and is to be praised.  Give serious thought to your relationship with God and make amends as necessary today.
             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
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