GPS to a Joyful Marriage

As usual, I watched “Jesus of Nazareth” Easter weekend – my favorite Biblical movie.  In the movie, when Peter is asked by Jesus to join Him, after the miracle of catching all the fish, Peter hems and haws and says he has to take care of his family.  Although it wasn’t recorded quite like this in the Bible, I’m sure that Peter, at some point, questioned leaving everything to follow Jesus.  All the disciples must have thought, even for a brief moment, it was a lot to ask to leave their families and their work.  We all face a point in our Christianity where we have to decide to put the worldly things behind us to follow Jesus.  It’s a daunting task, one that keeps many from turning their lives over to Him.  Before I truly became a Christian, I remember thinking it would be too much of a sacrifice.  I wanted to go out and party with my friends and do whatever I wanted.  Living a Christian life didn’t look like a lot of fun to me.  Oh, ...

I hope you all had a blessed Easter weekend!  We spent it in Orlando where we had a bridal shower for my daughter, Megan, on Saturday.  What a joyous but hectic day that was for me!! I must tell you, hanging around all those young women in their 20s and 30s gave me a renewed hope for marriage in our society.  Most of them were not married.  Yes, some of them were living with their boyfriends, but they still had this appreciation and respect for the state of marriage. I listened to the excitement in their voices as they discussed Megan’s upcoming nuptials next month.  They giggled like schoolgirls talking about the plans.  I listened at the awe in their emotions when Megan told them that her dad was going to do the ceremony for them.  One of Megan’s friends said she had goose bumps on her arms.  They all looked forward to getting married someday. Just when I thought that there was not much hope left for the institution of marriage. ...

As usual, I’m amazed at how God speaks to us, in a new way, through verses we may have read often before.  I’ve been reading Genesis 27 and in studying Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, I have been made aware of a personality flaw that affects many women. The characters in the Bible speak clearly about the behavior of men and women, even in this day and age.  We really haven’t changed a lot. Rebekah is a very manipulating woman.  First, in Genesis 27:18-29, she has Jacob pretend to be Esau so that Jacob can receive Isaac’s blessing which is usually reserved for the firstborn (Esau).  Then, at the end of this chapter, we see her manipulate Isaac with her words. In verses 43-45, Rebekah tells Jacob to go to her brother Labans in Haran because Esau has threatened to kill Jacob. Not only did Jacob take Esau’s blessing from Isaac, but Jacob also stole Esau’s birthright in chapter 25. In verse 46, Rebekah says to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite...

The third stage brings us to a place of purity.  We’ve figured it out.  We've gotten rid of the baggage.  Our only goal is to do God’s will in our lives and in our marriage.  Every move we make goes through God first. Not everyone makes it to this stage.  It involves a complete surrender of self.  There will always be a struggle in fighting our self, but at this stage, you know how to battle against it and rarely face it anymore. (Self is the biggest factor that will keep you from a pure relationship with God and with your spouse.   I still see it control many church-going, faith-filled Christians.) At this stage, you understand what marriage is all about.  You’ve become one spiritually.  You’ve taken on parts of the good qualities your spouse exemplifies and you’ve joined in the middle, completing the two halves God put together. For example: when Rick and I first married we did a p...