Well, as I type, I'm 3 and a half days away from my wedding and "Martha" has reared her up-tight head again! Last night I was looking at a messy house, waiting for my attention, reminding me that I am having a special party in just a day and a half and it needs cleaned! Also, I have a list of items "needing" to be done right away in the hectic hours preceeding the big day. But, just as the night before, I left my beloved to do some last-minute chores so I could go sit in the presence of the true Beloved. I went and shut myself in the bedroom of the soon-to-be officially my house and allowed the following verses to confront me.
Luke 10:38-42 "Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." (ESV)
"...anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary." Sitting at His feet, in His presence. The only thing necessary. Time and time again, over the course of my courtship with Joel, the Lord has been showing me parallels. Parallels in the relationship with man and the relationship with the Lord. The emotions, the heart's yearnings, the desires and hopes that take place between a man and woman, a parent and child - they are simply a shadow, a destorted reflection designed to speak to man of the yearnings and passions of the Lord. We were created in His image.
Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
Romans 1:20 "For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. "
If we were to go days without having a conversation, or even some good connect time with the people we cherish, especially our spouse, then the relationship suffers. If we go days without intimacy with the Lord, our relationship suffers, and our Lord is hurt. Just as we truly need Him for everything (whether we know it or not), He longs for us to connect with Him.
Man and wife. A covenant to be taken seriously. A picture displaying to the unrighteous world the faithfulness of God, His devotion and passion for His creation that was made in His image.
There is so much that I could write on, and some day I may, but for today, I need to rest on just a couple. This marriage I'm getting ready to enter into is a big deal. I recently got this book by Gary Thomas called "Sacred Marriage". It's been promoted on Family Life Today before. I love the subtitle: "What If God Designed Marriage To Make Us Holy More Than Happy". It means that the first time Joel and I have an issue as a married couple, it's not grounds for us to split. It means that even after the 490th time that we've had to forgive each other, it's not grounds for us to split. It means that each and every time we aren't getting our way, it's an opportunity for us to rest and find our fulfillment, strength and courage in the Lord to step up and let Him love His faithful love through us.
Am I excited about this? Yes and no. My spirit is, but my flesh, well, of course the flesh can't be excited about it. But in the words of Brandon Heath, "I'm Not Who I Was". I'm a new creation in Christ Jesus, more than a conquorer, I no longer live but Christ lives through me! Oh, Jesus help! I'm so weak and needy! So dependent, so can't do anything on my own!
I've been so blessed! The Lord spared me several years ago from an on-going path of destruction. He took me in, cleaned me up and has been teaching me a new way. Not to dwell on the past, but I didn't see many God-centered marriages growing up, and was destined to do what I've known and seen. But over the course of the last 8 years, He has consistantly been teaching me a new way, building me up and giving me an opportunity to learn the beauty of marriage for His glory. Will I do everything perfect? No, and even this week I've messed up. But I'm a lot further along than I could have been.
Several months ago, I had basically accepted, "Lord, if You want me to stay single, You will give me the grace. If you want me to be married, You will give me the grace". I love that marriage isn't designed to make me happy! Will I be? Yes. All the time? No. But it's about Him getting the glory! And if His reputation is on the line, then I know that He will help if I let Him!
I'm in my mid-late 20s, and already I've had classmates who have been married, divorced, separated, gone through some pretty tough things. I do feel for them. You may be in a very difficult situation yourself. Hosea in the Bible sure can relate. I don't have all the specific answers for specific situations and I'm not going to try. But what I do know, is that no matter what, the Lord is to be our fulfillment, and when He is, we can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength (Phil 4:13).
I have a burden for women, both single and married, who have wrapped up their identity and hopes into a man. Man will disappoint EVERY time - whether in a suffering relationship or a Godly one. Marriage was never meant to be a hoped end. It has a living purpose. Happiness will NOT be found in a man or woman. Marriage is only a picture to lead us to the One who longs for us to know Him. If married, when we get to that understanding, the pressure is taken off of our spouse and put on the only One who can fulfill. If single, the pressure is taken off of that one-day "someone" and rests in the only One who can fulfill. Lord, help me to remember this!
I can go on and on, but my last blog before I become Becca S., I want to encourage each of us, INCLUDING and ESPECIALLY myself in this last bit before the wedding, to hush. To stop getting so "anxious and troubled" about all the things that "need to be done" and the dreams that are hoped to be fulfilled, and go to the only One who is worthy and able. To sit at His feet. To adore Him. To learn from Him. To gain His heart, to hear His concerns, to let Him delight over us and for us to delight in Him.
It's all about Him. It's all about Him. It's all about Him.
Read it again. Let Him speak to you.
Luke 10:38-42 "As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. "Master, don't you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand." The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her." - The Message
Choose the only essential thing, and it will not be taken from you.
Needing Him in every way,
Becca
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