It is now December 14th and I am really starting to feel the holiday crunch with Christmas shopping and looking at the busy schedule Melanie and I have for the next several weeks/lifetime. We had our first weekend in a while that we could actually spend with each other and not worry about the busy events we had covered our calendar this weekend. We really needed it and it was really nice. We just stayed home most of the day on Saturday, watched movies, talked, and just spent time together which both of our schedules had put a strain on. It occurs to me that if I am not careful I may spend an entire day w/ my wife and not have spent a single second pursuing to grow together, maybe even spending the majority of the day seeking my own gain. This is so incredibly screwed up as I think of what I am commanded to do in Ephesians 5:25-33
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[c] 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
I have to be incredibly intentional or I just become the average husband instead of my wife's dream come true and instead of giving up my rights and showing love as I should to her- I turn to my natural selfish self and become rude and snap at my wife over the smallest little infractions on what I incorrectly perceive as my rights.
I am encouraged as I know that this is not a problem which cannot be solved because I look at those who have gone before me who have set an amazing example and minimum standard.
This idea that my marriage is something I have to be incredibly intentional about when my wife is physically there in front of me reminds me how much more intentional we have to be about our pursuit of God.
As always I hope this is encouraging to you all,
Much love, Ira.
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3 comments:
Yep... it's true! We have a two part good news. The first part is that we sold our house today!!! (well, we close on Jan 9th - but we had an offer and the process has begun) - so yay!! That's a huge praise and a necessary part for "part two good news"
I've been sick for about a week now - chest congestion (*the worst*), head stuffiness, sniffy, coughing, etc... so yeah! I did feel bad yesterday though - but I think it was because it was so cold! I'm not even kidding.. I could NOT get warm yesterday. I finally gave up and got in bed at 7:00 with our heating blanket on!
Hey Ira this might be on your comment list twice. I think I messed up on the 1st. I was so blessed to read your blog. God has truely molded you into the man He can use! We pray for you and Melanie to have the love that would glorify Him and your blog was such an affirmation of His love. Love you munch, MOM
Oh I blogged this morning too.
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