Growing Old Together

Isaiah 25:1

O Lord you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things.

I see in Tom and Ellie, in their seventies or eighties frail creatures physically but strong in love, how they walk  together as a unit from slot machine to slot machine.   Their favorite is the  “wheel of fortune”  penny machine.  Yes I said penny as in 1 cent.  They giggle and cheer each other on.  They will play and when their winnings exceed their investment (this almost always happens its amazing) they will cash out stick the ticket in their pocket  AND THEN put another $10.00 in the machine.  And do it again, and again.  Finally they get up cash in their tickets pocket the cash have lunch and THEN do it again.  Walking from machine to machine arm in arm you would think they were dating.  What a great example of persevering as they will celebrate 60 years of marriage this year.  Have they had issues of course, do Bev and I have issues of course.  There is no magic dust for longevity of a marriage.  And no slot machines are not a tool for marriage longevity.   Time is the only measurement for marriage longevity.  Invest the time now daily to reap the rewards of longevity. 

What is your plan for marriage longevity?

Keeping the Focus Where It Belongs

Luke 6:41-42  The Message (MSG)

^41-42“It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

Luke 6:41-42 (New International Version 1984)

⁴¹ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Words like why don’t they or you would think they _____  .  Are they common in our daily thoughts?

Read the scripture again and again.  It is a amazing that I can see to type this due to the Planks in my own eyes.  Do you tell God how your spouse falls short of your expectations or do you ask God how do I fall short of his expectations? 

What is God doing in your life?

 

A Prayer to Remember

Ephesians 5

¹ Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. ² And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

Everyday, millions of couples wake up and evaluate their marriages by asking themselves. “Am I happier today than I was yesterday”

Our questions as Christians  should be, “Lord , how can I love my spouse today like they has never been or ever will be loved?”  When your dating
that is always on your mind.

How often is it on your mind after you get married?

I look forward to your feedback.

 

The God Centered Spouse

Week 1 Sacred Marriage  Jan 5 2012

Please read your devotion and post your comments.

Amplified Bible (AMP)   2 Corinthians 7

 ¹THEREFORE, SINCE these [great] promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles body and spirit, and bring [our] consecration to completeness in the [reverential] fear of God.

BCM “Basic Control Model”  How often do we focus on the symptons in marriage:

** We  need to improve our communication

** We need to get better at handling conflict

** We need to show more appreciation for each other

** We need to work harder at keeping the romance alove in out relationship

Or should we look at the Problem?

In the Devotion for this week the idea is to replace the BCM -the basic control module.  The soultion

for the BCM for marriage is our “Spiritual Motivation”The focus question is “Are you a God-centered spouse?