Wednesday, May 5, 2010

TURN BACK

Psalm 80:17-19 “Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself. Then we will not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name. Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!”

My youngest son came over to help me return the oven, refrigerator, washing machine and dryer to the kitchen and laundry rooms that were just resurfaced with ceramic tile. After lugging the appliances into their proper places and hooking up all of their respective lines, pipes, vents and cords, I took him out for a burger and fries at the local restaurant down the street. As we enjoyed a loaded bacon cheeseburger, Chris told me how he felt that marriage was not as it used to be. At 27 ½ and single, he wasn’t observing lasting relationships and wondered what was different now from his grandparents and parents, who found joy in their lives together and stick it out for better times or worse. With the focus on self-fulfillment today, it seemed that marriages mainly ended in divorces and no marriage commitment relationship were increasing. What is missing today?

Ephesians 5:24-26 “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.” There is mutual love focused on Christ and true relationship based in holiness before God. This leads to an out-pouring of self towards each other in unconditional and godly love for each other, as intended from the beginning.

Mark 10:6-8 "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one.” Could it be that people today are not focusing on the Lord and what they were created for? And by not having the “right” focus” on the Father that created them for good, on Christ who saves and changes us for right living, and the Holy Spirit that guides the heart of the body of believers in love, are we chasing the wind in the dark. To turn back and love your wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it is a concept that needs to be rediscovered today in our society.

Genesis 2:24
“Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” My son, Chris was observant to see that there is a problem today, in that we’ve lost sight of what marriage is and how there is a need to turn back to God’s will, word and ways for our lives. It’s more than off balance; we’re off track and on the wrong path. Love the Lord and love each other as the Lord loves us.

Ephesians 5:29-31 “After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."

In Christ, Brian

4 comments:

RCUBEs said...

That was an awesome pic of flowers but even more beautiful were the Scriptures you shared. Yes, divorces and infidelities are so rampant nowadays. And I believe it's when people do not seek the Lord first in everything that the rest just falls apart. Even marriages. "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." God bless.

Brian Ray Todd said...

Thank you for your comments. Someone once said that we need to keep the main thing, the main thing. And I agree that that main thing is to seek the Lord first in everything. People do know that something is wrong. They see & experience the empty chasing the wind of godless living and the desire for balance, true fulfillment of mind, spirit and soul. But the battle is raging for righteousness and faith in Jesus. They feel the darkness. I hear them tell me. May we be the light of Christ for them, pointing the way to the Lord, the savior of the world. God bless.

INSIDE THE SHRINK said...

Very good post. I agree with RCUBEs, and with you that there has been a loss of honor to the state of marriage. The missing ingredient even among Christians is commitment. God holds marriage in such high esteem that He patterned the Church, the Bride and Jesus Christ, the Husband after the institution of marriage. These days, marriage seems to be considered more of a trial period to see if things are going to work out. With that kind of attitude, it usually doesn't. The answer to that is just get a divorce. Very irreverent isn't it. God have mercy on us.

Gregg Metcalf said...

Good post Brian. The real challenge I think, is people are committed to God. Once they can "break free" from a committment to Him, they can break free of any other committment.

Don't forget Paul by the Holy Spirit said that these very things woud be happening today and they will get worse. Even so come quickly Lord Jesus!