OTHER PHILL BLOGS

May 17, 2006

MOONLIGHT OR MAYHEM?

Last Saturday evening I was one of the ministers at a wedding service. My Charge and Wedding Prayer that evening were words that I myself needed to hear. (See post titled “Wedding Service” on May 13)

There is an old saying, “If you point a finger at someone you have three fingers on your hand pointing back to yourself.” On this occasion I had also three witnesses, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, convicting me that I was the one who needed to hear and heed those challenging and beautiful words about marriage.

Later my wife was another witness who testified I need to practice what I preach.

I come up short as a husband often, but last week I felt so low about my job performance in marriage I could hang my knees off the edge of a Kleenex. The last couple of days my wife and I have had some serious discussions about some things we need to do to enhance our relationship.

One simple decision we made is to make sure we spend some quality focused time together at least once a day. I regret to have to confess I have done poorly in prioritizing those special moments in the past. Furthermore, I have not been a good communicator or listener.

The wedding reception last Saturday was held outside under a gigantic tent. The bride’s father kidding asked me if I wanted him to leave up the tent to hold a revival service the next night.

Little did I realize then that I was the one who most needed a revival. God give me the grace to love my wife as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for her.

The full moon last Saturday night reminded me of a message on marriage I heard many years ago, “Marriage: Moonlight or Mayhem?”

I want to bask in the silvery beams of love sent from heaven above through Christ and expressed to me in the person of my wife.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Phill,

Do not feel unique in this regard. As an engineer, I have always though God to be the most excellent of designers and if one gender was all that was needed we would all be the same. The mystery is great, as Paul said, but I think the "one" created from "two" is not just for procreation, although that is part of it. The spiritual development husband and wife achieve in Godly marriage takes them both beyond themselves. Losing life, you gain. It is the curse of man that we always have the tendency to "snap back" into ourselves. I love your explanation of the third strand. It is by the third strand that we live as one.

Art