Marriage, Life, and Promise

As a husband, unlike what some have twisted the Scriptures to say, I continue to be humbled by how I am called in the Word to treat, love, support, protect, submit, and lay down my very life for my wife. In the same way that Christ loved His church, I am to do the same for my wife ...

To add to that, one of the most convicting commands comes in 1 Peter 3:7 when it informs me that if I don't treat my wife as I am called, my prayers to God themselves will be in jeopardy. God will look at me in how I'm treating my wife, and may simply refuse to listen to me ...

I can think of nothing more frightening than for God to turn His ear from my call.

Yet in all the warnings, I read a promise today in Psalm 128 ...

'How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord , Who walks in His ways. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table. Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the Lord . ' - Psalms 128:1-4

This warms my heart ... because it's true ...

Please don't get caught up in some false picture you are about to paint in your head. We have disagreements, arguments, some slammed doors, children who don't always obey, family tension when things are off ... I could go on. I mean come on, we home-school, you think we do that because it's easy?! lol ...

But even when the house is a mess physically and emotionally, and tears are revealing themselves, God has been SO faithful ... in fact, it's often THROUGH those tears (like very recently!) when I hear the words of a hurt spirit in my child pause, and then say ... "Dad ... the love we have in this house is so ... different ... and real."

Man does that make me look up from my mess to His eyes and praise Him with a Thank You! That is not my doing ... I assure you of that!

So ... just keep marching soldier ... live a life that honors God first and foremost, and He will bless you on the deepest levels that matter ... problem is, we often are looking to shallow to see ... or in the wrong place all-together ...

His,
~Matt