I ran across a blog today designed specifically for wives to confess anything and everything anonymously. It consists of hundreds of comments. That's it. Anonymous comment after anonymous comment about their spouse. I read enough to get the jest of the blog. Most were complaints about addiction, being abused, ignoring the children, feeling abandoned, or a lack of romance in the marriage. Some wives were very nice and complementary. A few confessed adultery. However, I was surprised at the anger and frustration communicated in the comments.
What are the easy ones? The easy ones are the same for every Christ follower, for every believer. They are decisions that are fundamental to life. Decisions we need to get "down pat" before moving on to bigger and better in life. The easy ones are listed in Exodus 20. Jesus simplifies those ten down to two for us here. And Paul simplifies it down to one. If we get these consistently wrong, you may find yourself confessing to friends, siblings, or even anonymously to strangers what should be discussed with your parents or eventually your spouse.
I have found people, especially students, think there is plenty of time to get serious about God. God is not urgent. God can always wait. You can get to God later. There is school with homework, projects, exams, and the expected extracurricular activity. Outside of school includes practice, chores, parents, friends, church, and fun that need your immediate attention. All of which are important, necessary, and worthy.
I try to never say "never" or "always" which has served me well in life. But the thing is... as you move through life, mature into a young adult, society will ALWAYS expect more from you. The reality is you will NEVER have as much free time you do right now. If you don't have time for God now... will you find time later? Simply stated, later consists of more school, more homework, dating, college, job, marriage, kids, fitting fun in somewhere and so much more. Days do not get longer, but you will be expected to do more. To accomplish more. To serve more. You will work more. You will care for more people. More people will depend on you and you will be expected to do all of this in the same amount of time as you have right now.
I know what my wife likes and doesn't like. I can tell you her favorite ice cream... cookies -n- cream. I know her favorite color... pink. Her favorite food... toss up between pizza and shrimp with lobster sauce. Her weakness... TV. Her strength... empathy, sense of humor, and her smile... it's a great smile. I only know these things because I spend time with her. In fact, I spend a lot of time with her. I do so because I love her, not because I have to. I know my children's strengths and weaknesses. Same with friends. The more time you hang out with someone, the better you know that person.
The same is true with God. The most important easy one to get right... to seek God first in all you do. Spend time with Him. Invest your life in Him. God promises so much to those who believe... to those who acknowledge His name and call Him "Lord." He says when you call on Him, He will answer. When life gets difficult, He will come to be with you and rescue you and honor you. To those who trust in His name, He will reward with a long life. All of those promises can be found here. Those are only a few of the many promises we find in God's Word.
The blog I mentioned earlier exists only because those who commented have stopped investing in the marriage. It's easier, although not better, to be part of that blog than to sit down and start a conversation with their husband. Their lives might improve if either spouse decided to invest a little extra time, effort, and energy into the other. How much is needed? I don't know. However, I do know relationships do not prosper if you neglect and ignore them. They wither. They evaporate like puddles after a rain. They're quirky that way. Good relationships require two people to invest. They are sometimes difficult, but the good ones are always worthy.
The most important relationship, in your entire life, is the one you develop with Jesus. Your relationship with Him is more important than the relationship you have with your parents, your siblings, your friends, and yes... your future spouse and children.
You will get older... you will get busier... how will you invest your time?
Have a good and godly day.
What are the easy ones? The easy ones are the same for every Christ follower, for every believer. They are decisions that are fundamental to life. Decisions we need to get "down pat" before moving on to bigger and better in life. The easy ones are listed in Exodus 20. Jesus simplifies those ten down to two for us here. And Paul simplifies it down to one. If we get these consistently wrong, you may find yourself confessing to friends, siblings, or even anonymously to strangers what should be discussed with your parents or eventually your spouse.
I have found people, especially students, think there is plenty of time to get serious about God. God is not urgent. God can always wait. You can get to God later. There is school with homework, projects, exams, and the expected extracurricular activity. Outside of school includes practice, chores, parents, friends, church, and fun that need your immediate attention. All of which are important, necessary, and worthy.
I try to never say "never" or "always" which has served me well in life. But the thing is... as you move through life, mature into a young adult, society will ALWAYS expect more from you. The reality is you will NEVER have as much free time you do right now. If you don't have time for God now... will you find time later? Simply stated, later consists of more school, more homework, dating, college, job, marriage, kids, fitting fun in somewhere and so much more. Days do not get longer, but you will be expected to do more. To accomplish more. To serve more. You will work more. You will care for more people. More people will depend on you and you will be expected to do all of this in the same amount of time as you have right now.
I know what my wife likes and doesn't like. I can tell you her favorite ice cream... cookies -n- cream. I know her favorite color... pink. Her favorite food... toss up between pizza and shrimp with lobster sauce. Her weakness... TV. Her strength... empathy, sense of humor, and her smile... it's a great smile. I only know these things because I spend time with her. In fact, I spend a lot of time with her. I do so because I love her, not because I have to. I know my children's strengths and weaknesses. Same with friends. The more time you hang out with someone, the better you know that person.
The same is true with God. The most important easy one to get right... to seek God first in all you do. Spend time with Him. Invest your life in Him. God promises so much to those who believe... to those who acknowledge His name and call Him "Lord." He says when you call on Him, He will answer. When life gets difficult, He will come to be with you and rescue you and honor you. To those who trust in His name, He will reward with a long life. All of those promises can be found here. Those are only a few of the many promises we find in God's Word.
The blog I mentioned earlier exists only because those who commented have stopped investing in the marriage. It's easier, although not better, to be part of that blog than to sit down and start a conversation with their husband. Their lives might improve if either spouse decided to invest a little extra time, effort, and energy into the other. How much is needed? I don't know. However, I do know relationships do not prosper if you neglect and ignore them. They wither. They evaporate like puddles after a rain. They're quirky that way. Good relationships require two people to invest. They are sometimes difficult, but the good ones are always worthy.
The most important relationship, in your entire life, is the one you develop with Jesus. Your relationship with Him is more important than the relationship you have with your parents, your siblings, your friends, and yes... your future spouse and children.
You will get older... you will get busier... how will you invest your time?
Have a good and godly day.
No comments:
Post a Comment