He told me what to pack but wouldn't tell me where he was taking me. Anticipation grew all day as I finished laundry, folded clothes, packed some and put others away, made sure all of Captain Jack's things were visible for his dog sitter (yes, he requires special attention), finished packing and waited for my tender warrior to come home and whisk me away.
We spent a great deal of time reflecting over the past 4 years of marriage, the good, the great, the sorrowful, the bad, and all the in-between. What we concluded was this: marriage is a gift from God, a very good gift. It's fun, exciting, always changing, always learning, sensual, and romantic. But it is also sanctifying, very hard work, difficult, and challenging. Above all, marriage is a commitment, not just when it's fun, exciting, romantic, or happy, but also when it's hard, challenging, and even when it's unhappy.
We are not a perfect couple and we don't have it all figured out, but by God's grace we are learning everyday what it means as a wife to submit to my husband, "as to the Lord" and as a husband to love his wife "as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:22, 25).
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Recommended Resources:
And whisk away he did! We hopped in the truck and began our journey to our destination, still unbeknownst to me. About an hour or so out from our destination he finally told me he was taking me to the Outer Banks - which if you've ever been, you know is a wonderful get away spot!! We had never been, so I was super excited.
We finally pulled up to this large house-like deal, went to the lobby and were directed to our room. I was beyond surprised when I saw the room we had! I was expecting just a couple of nights at the Holiday Inn or something like that, not a suite overlooking the peaceful bay! He was excited to see what he had booked, but even more excited to see my reaction. He had the whole weekend planned, with time for flexibility, of course. It was probably the most relaxed we've been in a while. It was so simple... sit on the balcony and listen to the waves, go to the beach under an overcast sky, listen to the waves and read...not too hot and certainly not cold...just spending time with my favorite person in the world... sounds like Paradise, huh? ;)
It isn't the extravagance of the weekend, where we stayed or what we did, but the fact that he took so much pleasure in preparing and planning our anniversary celebration for us, for me, that overwhelmed me and made me ever so grateful for a man who really longs to pursue his bride in a way that honors Christ.
"Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe." Proverbs 5:18
We spent a great deal of time reflecting over the past 4 years of marriage, the good, the great, the sorrowful, the bad, and all the in-between. What we concluded was this: marriage is a gift from God, a very good gift. It's fun, exciting, always changing, always learning, sensual, and romantic. But it is also sanctifying, very hard work, difficult, and challenging. Above all, marriage is a commitment, not just when it's fun, exciting, romantic, or happy, but also when it's hard, challenging, and even when it's unhappy.
We are not a perfect couple and we don't have it all figured out, but by God's grace we are learning everyday what it means as a wife to submit to my husband, "as to the Lord" and as a husband to love his wife "as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:22, 25).
I truly believe a marriage on the path of pursuing holiness that displays the glory of the gospel is the greatest gift we can give our children. May God, through the power of His Holy Spirit, give us grace and endurance to pursue a marriage that reflects the Gospel of Christ, for His own glory.
 |
| 4 years ago! |
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body." Ephesians 5:22-30 (ESV)
Recommended Resources:
The Bible
The Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller
The Folly of Adultery and the Wisdom of Sex Sermon by Matt Sigmon, Pastor at Imago Dei Church, Raleigh, NC
The Folly of Adultery and the Wisdom of Sex Sermon by Matt Sigmon, Pastor at Imago Dei Church, Raleigh, NC
Comments
Post a Comment