Something that I noticed about Mom was the deep relationship she had with
the Lord. Rick Warren wrote “God wants
more than an appointment in your schedule.
He wants to be included in every activity, every conversation, every
problem, even every thought” (p87 note)
I could see that in her life. After
Don’s passing, Jesus was her focus. I
heard a pastor once say “Most people don’t know Jesus is all they need until
Jesus is all they have.” It is so easy
to let your primary devotion be to the one you can see rather than the one you
can’t see. There is a relational
tension. Hopefully your love for your
spouse is primary with respect to your earthly relationships. But God wants
that relationship to be secondary to your relationship with Him.
I remember Mom talking to me about her struggle with the fact that she, at times, felt that she loved Don more than Jesus. It is a
problem that started in the Garden. Adam
was faced with a dilemma. Listen to God
or listen to Eve. He chose poorly. But, after Don’t passing, although she longed
for Don to be back in her life, on earth or in heaven, her life was focused on
her relationship with the Lord.
Martie and I use Amos 3:3 (among others) as a guide in our walk of faith. “How can two walk together unless they be
agreed?” The Bible says (Mark 10:6-8) “Jesus replied. “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 flesh.” So we reasoned, If we are “one” why would God speak
to one half and not the other half? We must agree that it is God and not our
own idea. One might be excited and the
other fearful, but we both must agree that it is God. Even in a strong relationship that is
Christ-centered, there is a temptation to choose the spouse over God.
On a number of occasions, Jesus told people who said they wanted to follow
Him that they must choose Him over family. Martie and I have agreed that we will not do
anything where there is disagreement between us. The assumption is that our primary interest
and motivation is in serving and obeying God and preserving our comfort and
security in our natural relationships and worldly possessions. We love each
other but we, each, love God more. If you are not careful, your
relationship with your spouse or family can become a god in your life. A priority that you may feel justified in
defending. But if you put anyone before
God, you will be wrong. Are you willing to put your marriage, your family on
the altar before God? Think about it.
Note:
Taken from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren Copyright © 2002 by Rick
Warren. Use by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com
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