So this past week hasn’t been the most fun…had some “minor outpatient surgery” done with what I was warned would be a not-so-fun recovery. I survived the surgery only to find all the hoopla about the recovery to be ABSOLUTELY TRUE. Moving just about anything was almost unbearable during the first three days and was only possible with the dedicated help of my wife or kids. Talk about humbling. But through this involuntary ritardando in life…this inability to move around by my own free will, God opened my eyes to many great things about these people I just so happen to live with…especially my wife.
Almost 20 years ago, I stood across from a beautiful maiden who was wearing a flowing white wedding dress, prepared to commit myself to her for life. There, she and I both stood in front of God and our family/friends, and pledged scripted vows to each other. Funny thing is at that point of our young lives, neither of us really understood the depth of what we were committing to do. Well, it’s stuff like this week that truly reveals just how deeply those dusty promises of yesteryear had taken root.
This blessed woman has helped me sit down, stand up, lay down, go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, put pillows under my legs, refill my water, go to the store for me and more! I felt bad because it seemed my procedure demanded more of her than it demanded of me. She did everything willingly, without complaint, and even joyfully because according to her:
She. Loves. Me. <<insert smitten sigh>>
She set aside almost everything else she wanted/needed to do in order to care for my needs, knowing I couldn’t even return the favor right now. Again, talk about humbling.
Friends, that is what God ordained marriage to be…serving your spouse and putting his or her needs before your own. No, it’s not always convenient and yes, it requires a lot of selflessness, but that is exactly what we are called to live out in the biblical construct of marriage. In fact, the marital relationship is so highly esteemed in God’s eyes, His Word draws one parallel relationship with which to compare it: Jesus (Husband) and the Church (Bride).
So three things for your Sunday: 1)Think/read about what all Christ has done in His relationship with His Church. If you don’t know where to look…ASK ME!:-) ; 2) Specifically ask God to give you that same kind of heart for your king/queen, your lovey-wuvey or your smoopsey-pooh (no idea how to spell that) and 3) Work to put those things into action (not just words) with/for your spouse…just as my wife did for me this week. Did I tell you I love my girl?
How has your spouse served you in a time of need? How have you served your spouse in their time of need? Why is that mindset vital to the success of a marriage? Let’s talk about it!
Photo by Hush Naidoo via Unsplash.com
