What Could Ever Come Between Us?
Scripture: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39
Thought: Saturday, I awoke to my husband sitting in the living room crying. His hands covered his face as the tears so freely flowed with hopelessness. My heart ached with compassion as I sat next to him, not knowing why he was hurting with the deepest pit of despair. I tried to comfort him with physical touch as he grieved. After five minutes of uncontrollable weeping, he explained the wrath and judgment his spirit recoiled with thoughts of disappointments, failures, and bitterness towards his weakness and our world of hatred, condemnation, and competition.
During our marriage preparation, we discussed the mountains and valleys of married life we would encounter but we promised to take each other for better or for worse, for richer or for poor, in sickness and in health until death do us apart. I knew as his wife, his burdens were my burdens. What could I say to support him? I thought, “Nothing could ever come between us.”
Looking at the cross hanging on our wall with the quotation “Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound”, I was reminded that we are not of this world. (John 17:13-20) I imagined what Jesus felt when he prayed in Gethsemane when He was despaired and knew His time had come when He would be betrayed into the hands of sinners. He asked His disciples to stay alert and pray for him, but they fell asleep, their spirit was willing but their body was weak. (Matthew 26: 41) In the end was triumph and Our Father’s intent was to give us new life, hope and joy.
As a wife called to support my husband, I prayed and asked Jesus to lighten our burden. What should I say Lord? Please lead me, please walk beside me and lift this heavy burden from my husband. Then he gave me a verse that was engraved upon my heart, Proverbs 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Action: Are you pulling against the yoke of Jesus? Or are you following His lead? Being yoked to Jesus we can find rest and peace. Can you remember a time that you surrendered to your spouse and stood beside them to support and hold them up in a time of despair? Share it tonight, and watch how you will fall in love deeper as you lean together and humbly trust the lead of Our Lord.
Prayer: Lord, I will ask, seek and knock to let you be in control of my marriage. I want you to lead us in good times and in bad, my spirit is willing, but my body is week. Show me the areas that I need to repent, give me strength to surrender, encourage and support my husband/wife. Please give me the wisdom of being yoked to you and bind our marriage together in unity. I believe in you God for great things. In Jesus name I pray with thanksgiving. Amen
