BBD 05.08.03 No Longer Two
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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The Burning Bush Devotional
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05.08.03
No Longer Two
And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them
at 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 then, they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." - Matthew
19:4-6.
Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in
Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. For I fear
lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be
found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies,
outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits,
tumults; lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I
shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the
uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced. - II
Corinthians 12:19-21.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I
have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift
of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I
have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am
nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I
give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love
suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself,
is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not
provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the
truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things. Love never fails. - I Corinthians 13:1-8.
In Britain a very upset man made what he thought was an emergency call to
the police. He dialed "999" furiously and demanded urgent help because his
wife was too busy decorating to cook dinner! The man actually told the
emergency operator, "My wife's left me with two salmon sandwiches which was
left over from last night, and I'm sat in the chair here and she's out there
decorating. She won't put any food on or anything for anybody." The man
was told that it really wasn't an emergency because his wife wouldn't cook
dinner.
It may be that this was not the first time that the man in Britain had
demanded his dinner. We have to wonder if he is always demanding something
from his wife and the point has finally been reached where she no longer
responds to his demands. It is difficult enough for marriages to survive
even when both the husband and the wife are working to make it succeed. But
when one spouse, the husband or the wife, is not making any effort it spells
disaster for the relationship. Now some marriages continue on in name only
like the one in Britain appears to be while others are officially dissolved
in divorce court.
The apostle Paul is talking to Christians in general in the church at
Cornith but he could have been talking to married couples. What he says is
just as necessary in the marriage relationship. For a marriage to survive
and thrive the "contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults" must be overcome and
put aside. The husband and the wife are to become one. When a spouse is
contentious, jealous, wrathful, selfish, backbiting etc. toward the other it
is simply hurting themselves. It is like stabbing yourself in the back to
be hateful and hurtful toward your spouse.
For the marriage to thrive there must be this ability to overlook little
slights and hurts. Instead of repaying pain for pain, hurt for hurt we must
instead give love (I Corinthians 13). Love has a way of overcoming the
problems, the difficulties, and the frustration that arise in a
relationship. Without that kind of love, an overcoming love that loves no
matter what the relationship is doomed to failure.
If your marriage has devolved into something similar to the one in Britain
or worse it is time for a time out. Ask your pastor or a marriage counselor
to referee while the issues that have accumulated over the years can be
addressed. Remember your spouse is not the enemy. He or she is you because
you both are one in the eyes of God. It is in the best interests of both
the husband and the wife to sort things out, renew their love, and move
forward with life.
Copyright © 2003. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited.
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