The Perfect “Coach”
By Shirley Mitchell
“To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.”
Job 12:13
My daughter Mikayla just finished her first soccer season on her middle school’s team. Her school is so small that they joined with another school to try to get enough players. They still needed players so although she is not in middle school yet, they let her play. When her Coach Caleb found out who her select soccer team’s coach was, he was thrilled to have her on the team but nervous because he knew how good he was.
At the end of the season pizza party, Coach Caleb started passing out awards with Mikayla, the youngest player from their school. He complimented her foot skills and sense for the ball, but he also shared how intimidated he was to coach her. In his opinion (and ours!), her other select team Coach Steve was the best girls’ soccer coach in the state.
See, Coach Caleb is just a father who loves his daughter. When his daughter took an interest in soccer, he learned all that he could to spend time, develop, and coach her. Although he has learned a lot, he doesn’t know as much as Coach Steve, who has played soccer for years, was the leader on his team, and has coached many successful teams.
Coach Steve knows how to play the game, develops the girls, acts with complete integrity, and displays the highest character. He knows the strategy of the game. He instructs the girls on positioning and develops their foot skills. He knows how to get more out of the girls than they themselves think they can do. He understands the mind of the young girls, too. He motivates the girls when they are down. He teaches them the difference between playing and competing. He knows they are easily distracted, and he reels them in again. Even though the officials may not call the game correctly, his temper stays controlled, his mouth never demeans anyone, and his tongue is never foul. He is fair, good, and caring.
The combination of his character with knowledge reminds me of what we need in people in leadership and power and more importantly, in a God. While God is much more than a coach, imagine with me for a minute what if God was not perfect in knowledge and understanding? What if time was a barrier for Him so He couldn’t see the future? What if He couldn’t understand your situation that you are in right now? What if He was learning how to be a god as He went along and was just leading us through life because He loved us since we are His children?
What if God was a god of bad character? What if He was exasperating because we could never make Him happy, and He was always disciplining us without love or worse abusive to us? What if He was arrogant, ego-maniac, or self-centered? What if He lashed out in anger and said things He regretted later? What if He promised us something then just changed His mind? Or I just shudder to think of this, what if He lied to us? Imagine the turmoil and ghastly ramifications of having a god like that. A god like that would never win my affection, adoration, or worship. I would never bend my knee to that kind of god.
However, because God is both perfect in knowledge and character and desires to guide me through life, it compels me to lift up my arms and shout “Hallelujah.” When I reflect on the contrast of what could be lacking in a god with who He is as a God, I am awestruck.
Today’s verse reminds you and me that God is not just a wise, powerful counselor with a lot of understanding. All four of those things belong to Him. The Hebrew word for belongs is used in this instance to indicate possession. Think about this. Our God owns and controls wisdom, power, counsel, and understanding. This marvelous combination makes Him a good God in whom we can fully trust for the outcome of any heart-rending situation, hotspot that we get into, and to guide us through life. Let’s take comfort in who the God Almighty is!
Pray with me: Oh, Lord, You are perfect in character and perfect in knowledge. You are our Counselor. Wisdom and understanding and power belong to You. You guide us with Your counsel, and afterward You will take us into glory (Psalm 73:24). Teach us Your ways so we may walk in Your paths (Isaiah 2:3b). Instruct us and teach us the way we should go. Counsel us and watch over us (Psalm 32:8). You are better than any human coach. You develop and conform us into the likeness of Your Perfect Son. You know exactly how to get to our hearts, how to motivate us, and how to get us to change. Thank You for being so patient with us and preparing us for heaven. It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels Ministry
"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Showing posts with label power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label power. Show all posts
Friday, June 12, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
The Empty Tomb
The Empty Tomb
"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus."
Luke 24:1-3
After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Early on Sunday morning just after sunrise, they were making their way to the tomb where the men had buried Jesus. They asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" When they arrived, they learned that a strong man was not necessary. To their surprise, the stone was rolled away!
The irreversible was reserved. The unimaginable was reality. God's beloved Son, His one and only Son, was alive! The angels swooped down from the throne of heaven to roll away the stone.Not to let Him out but to let us in. His tomb is the only tourist attraction in the world where people line up to see nothing. The angels declared to the women the most glorious words of all time, "He is not here. He is risen." All of creation has longed for these words to ring out. You know what I love the most about my sister Linda's Orthodox Church? They greet each other with a holy kiss and these words: One says, "Christ is risen." The other replies, "Indeed, He is risen."
The prophecy in the Garden of Eden was fulfilled. The seed of a woman had crushed satan's head and delivered to him a final blow (Genesis 3:15). The evil one's power is stripped. Jesus rose from the grave, and the sting of death is gone.
Then, a young man dressed in a white robe who was sitting on the right side frightened them. Luke chapter 24 tells not just of the one angel that spoke, but that there were two angels whose clothes gleamed like lightning (verse 4). I think these ladies had a right to be a bit afraid and cling to each other.
We are told in Mark 16:6-7, the angel said, " 'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' ' " While they were still shaking and confused, the women fled from the tomb to find the men. They told the Eleven what they had seen, but the men did not believe them. Their words seemed like nonsense because it was so unbelievable!
By Jewish Law, women could not be official witnesses. Yet, God let them be His Son's witnesses - esteeming them and counting them as credible. The disciples did not believe them. It sounded like nonsense. They were not anticipating the resurrection. In Matthew 27:62-64, the chief priests and Pharisees remembered when they buried Jesus that He said, "After three days I will rise again." They were concerned the disciples would steal the body. As a result Pilate ordered the tomb to be made secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. Isn't it interesting that the religious leaders remembered Jesus' prophecy, but His followers didn't?
After hearing the women's news, Peter and John moved their feet into motion before they could rethink the news. They both had the same thought and took off running. They knew each other so well they didn't have to say a word. They must see the empty tomb. They ran down a trail they had scarcely noticed just three days ago when they were grieving. When they came to the tomb, Peter walked inside first. Jesus was not there. The body was gone, but the grave clothes remained like an empty cocoon - the cloth was even folded! God left the tomb tidy.
The seal was broken. The stone was rolled away. The body was missing. No stone, no seal, and no Roman guard could keep the Son of God in the grave. The religious leaders tried to do damage control. The soldiers were instructed to say they were asleep, and the disciples stole the body. If the soldiers had really fallen asleep, then their payment would have been death, not a large sum of money.
After the supernatural appearance of the angels at the tomb, Jesus made unglamorous appearances to ordinary people. He didn't appear in the heavens above Jerusalem for all to see. He didn't return to Pilate. He didn't appear to the Sanhedrin. He appeared to those who were His.The ones whom He loved. Hallelujah!
Pray with me: Oh, Almighty God, the tomb was empty! You rolled away that stone even though You knew the women could have found someone to roll away that stone. You rolled it away to let the light shine and show the world what You did! JESUS DIED, but then You exerted YOUR resurrection Power and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come (Ephesians 1:20-21). It's in the Name of this King that we pray, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus."
Luke 24:1-3
After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Early on Sunday morning just after sunrise, they were making their way to the tomb where the men had buried Jesus. They asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" When they arrived, they learned that a strong man was not necessary. To their surprise, the stone was rolled away!
The irreversible was reserved. The unimaginable was reality. God's beloved Son, His one and only Son, was alive! The angels swooped down from the throne of heaven to roll away the stone.Not to let Him out but to let us in. His tomb is the only tourist attraction in the world where people line up to see nothing. The angels declared to the women the most glorious words of all time, "He is not here. He is risen." All of creation has longed for these words to ring out. You know what I love the most about my sister Linda's Orthodox Church? They greet each other with a holy kiss and these words: One says, "Christ is risen." The other replies, "Indeed, He is risen."
The prophecy in the Garden of Eden was fulfilled. The seed of a woman had crushed satan's head and delivered to him a final blow (Genesis 3:15). The evil one's power is stripped. Jesus rose from the grave, and the sting of death is gone.
Then, a young man dressed in a white robe who was sitting on the right side frightened them. Luke chapter 24 tells not just of the one angel that spoke, but that there were two angels whose clothes gleamed like lightning (verse 4). I think these ladies had a right to be a bit afraid and cling to each other.
We are told in Mark 16:6-7, the angel said, " 'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' ' " While they were still shaking and confused, the women fled from the tomb to find the men. They told the Eleven what they had seen, but the men did not believe them. Their words seemed like nonsense because it was so unbelievable!
By Jewish Law, women could not be official witnesses. Yet, God let them be His Son's witnesses - esteeming them and counting them as credible. The disciples did not believe them. It sounded like nonsense. They were not anticipating the resurrection. In Matthew 27:62-64, the chief priests and Pharisees remembered when they buried Jesus that He said, "After three days I will rise again." They were concerned the disciples would steal the body. As a result Pilate ordered the tomb to be made secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. Isn't it interesting that the religious leaders remembered Jesus' prophecy, but His followers didn't?
After hearing the women's news, Peter and John moved their feet into motion before they could rethink the news. They both had the same thought and took off running. They knew each other so well they didn't have to say a word. They must see the empty tomb. They ran down a trail they had scarcely noticed just three days ago when they were grieving. When they came to the tomb, Peter walked inside first. Jesus was not there. The body was gone, but the grave clothes remained like an empty cocoon - the cloth was even folded! God left the tomb tidy.
The seal was broken. The stone was rolled away. The body was missing. No stone, no seal, and no Roman guard could keep the Son of God in the grave. The religious leaders tried to do damage control. The soldiers were instructed to say they were asleep, and the disciples stole the body. If the soldiers had really fallen asleep, then their payment would have been death, not a large sum of money.
After the supernatural appearance of the angels at the tomb, Jesus made unglamorous appearances to ordinary people. He didn't appear in the heavens above Jerusalem for all to see. He didn't return to Pilate. He didn't appear to the Sanhedrin. He appeared to those who were His.The ones whom He loved. Hallelujah!
Pray with me: Oh, Almighty God, the tomb was empty! You rolled away that stone even though You knew the women could have found someone to roll away that stone. You rolled it away to let the light shine and show the world what You did! JESUS DIED, but then You exerted YOUR resurrection Power and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come (Ephesians 1:20-21). It's in the Name of this King that we pray, in Jesus' Name, Yeshua's Name. Amen.
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study
Thursday, March 5, 2009
The Bowing Tree
The Bowing Tree
“He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
Jeremiah 17:8
Every time I return to Kentucky and cross the border I sing our state song, My Old Kentucky Home. I have a few close friends who either love our state or love me enough to sing it with me. Sadly, my beloved Kentucky was one of the states that was pounded by the ice storm in late January 2009. When ice forms on the tree limbs, its weight is difficult for the limbs to bear. The limbs begin to sag to the ground. If the limb is not strong enough, it breaks.
Some trees had broken during the storm. Some trees had broken and caused much damage to the property around them. Some trees knocked down power lines. Some trees or limbs had shattered through glass. Some had crashed through cars or even homes. Tree limbs broken by the storm dangled precariously over the streets and fell randomly regardless of what was below.
The newspaper said that 769, 353 people lost power. Tragically, the storm was attributed with taking 28 precious souls. The governor called the storm, “the worst natural disaster in the state's modern history.” The power company, government, and relief workers pulled together to work on restoring power, handing out food and water, and clearing the debris. Utility workers trekked through dangerous roads to reset power lines.
For my children, it meant snow days and out of school for the rest of the week. In their eyes, the beauty of the snow and ice just looked like a winter wonderland and made them wonder why mom ever tries to decorate the yard for a Christmas winter scene when God’s creation does a much better job.
Our whole family had watched the effect on our trees. Our pear tree stood tall through the storm. Our magnolia tree that once stood proudly looked like a weeping willow tree as all of its beautiful branches bent to kiss the ground. My children prayed for God to take care of it.
A few days after the storm while it still looked like winter wonderland, Sophia and I were driving to her soccer game. We found our favorite tree of all. The tree that captured our attention was the one with the trunk bent in a u-shape and the top of the tree on the ground. I said to her, “That tree is bowing down to God, Sophia.”
Then, it spurred a fountain of wisdom from my darling daughter about how the trees speak so much to us about Christians. She said, “Mommy, it is just like people. Only a few of us bow down to God and are really Christians.” Then, we started thinking of more parallels. When the storms of life come, some Christians stand tall and unaffected during the storm like our pear tree. However, some of us break under the pressure. We worry, explode in anger, and lose our trust in God. Some of us break so much that we are like the fallen trees that do damage to the property around us. We hurt our families, ruin our jobs, and suffer consequences for a long time to come.
I have been through many storms in my life. I remember when I told my commander some of my background. He said,”I can’t believe someone so young as you has seen so many troubles in life.” Now, that I have lived longer, I see that many people have experienced much worse than I have. I also have matured a bit spiritually where it takes more to rock me. (Somehow that doesn’t feel like a good thing because we need to be rocked every now and then.) I’ve learned that sometimes Christians stand strong through the storms of life. God desires to show us how strong we are in Him during those times. Other storms require us to fall prostrate to the ground and bow before the throne of the living God of the universe. As I say that to you, I say it with a heart full of worship. That’s when we may find that we feel the most alive because of how we experience God.
Beloved, what about you? Which tree have you been during the storm – fallen tree, destructive tree, standing strong tree, or the bowing tree? If you are like me, maybe you have experiences for all of them, and you know that storms of life will keep coming. We must be prepared and rooted in God’s Word so that our experiences glorify Him through showing His mighty strength or through complete trust and honor as we bow to worship the God Most High.
Pray with me: Almighty God, You amaze us! We magnify Your Name. You are holy, wonderful, beautiful, mysterious, intoxicating, and merciful! You are our protective Father, yet righteous Judge. We honor You for who You are and not just what You do for us.
Thank You for Your hand of protection during the storm. We ask You to pour out Your Spirit on the families who are mourning the loss of their loved ones. Comfort those who mourn. We weep with them.
For those of us who are still able, it is our honor to physically bow down and worship You. There is nothing like putting our bodies in the same position as our hearts. Some day that won’t be an option. Some day there won’t be any physical restrictions barring us. Some day it won’t be one out of many, but it will be every single person in every generation, in every tribe, and in every nation who bows down and worships You. Oh, how we praise You, Lord! It’s in Your Son’s Name we pray, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
“He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
Jeremiah 17:8
Every time I return to Kentucky and cross the border I sing our state song, My Old Kentucky Home. I have a few close friends who either love our state or love me enough to sing it with me. Sadly, my beloved Kentucky was one of the states that was pounded by the ice storm in late January 2009. When ice forms on the tree limbs, its weight is difficult for the limbs to bear. The limbs begin to sag to the ground. If the limb is not strong enough, it breaks.
Some trees had broken during the storm. Some trees had broken and caused much damage to the property around them. Some trees knocked down power lines. Some trees or limbs had shattered through glass. Some had crashed through cars or even homes. Tree limbs broken by the storm dangled precariously over the streets and fell randomly regardless of what was below.
The newspaper said that 769, 353 people lost power. Tragically, the storm was attributed with taking 28 precious souls. The governor called the storm, “the worst natural disaster in the state's modern history.” The power company, government, and relief workers pulled together to work on restoring power, handing out food and water, and clearing the debris. Utility workers trekked through dangerous roads to reset power lines.
For my children, it meant snow days and out of school for the rest of the week. In their eyes, the beauty of the snow and ice just looked like a winter wonderland and made them wonder why mom ever tries to decorate the yard for a Christmas winter scene when God’s creation does a much better job.
Our whole family had watched the effect on our trees. Our pear tree stood tall through the storm. Our magnolia tree that once stood proudly looked like a weeping willow tree as all of its beautiful branches bent to kiss the ground. My children prayed for God to take care of it.
A few days after the storm while it still looked like winter wonderland, Sophia and I were driving to her soccer game. We found our favorite tree of all. The tree that captured our attention was the one with the trunk bent in a u-shape and the top of the tree on the ground. I said to her, “That tree is bowing down to God, Sophia.”
Then, it spurred a fountain of wisdom from my darling daughter about how the trees speak so much to us about Christians. She said, “Mommy, it is just like people. Only a few of us bow down to God and are really Christians.” Then, we started thinking of more parallels. When the storms of life come, some Christians stand tall and unaffected during the storm like our pear tree. However, some of us break under the pressure. We worry, explode in anger, and lose our trust in God. Some of us break so much that we are like the fallen trees that do damage to the property around us. We hurt our families, ruin our jobs, and suffer consequences for a long time to come.
I have been through many storms in my life. I remember when I told my commander some of my background. He said,”I can’t believe someone so young as you has seen so many troubles in life.” Now, that I have lived longer, I see that many people have experienced much worse than I have. I also have matured a bit spiritually where it takes more to rock me. (Somehow that doesn’t feel like a good thing because we need to be rocked every now and then.) I’ve learned that sometimes Christians stand strong through the storms of life. God desires to show us how strong we are in Him during those times. Other storms require us to fall prostrate to the ground and bow before the throne of the living God of the universe. As I say that to you, I say it with a heart full of worship. That’s when we may find that we feel the most alive because of how we experience God.
Beloved, what about you? Which tree have you been during the storm – fallen tree, destructive tree, standing strong tree, or the bowing tree? If you are like me, maybe you have experiences for all of them, and you know that storms of life will keep coming. We must be prepared and rooted in God’s Word so that our experiences glorify Him through showing His mighty strength or through complete trust and honor as we bow to worship the God Most High.
Pray with me: Almighty God, You amaze us! We magnify Your Name. You are holy, wonderful, beautiful, mysterious, intoxicating, and merciful! You are our protective Father, yet righteous Judge. We honor You for who You are and not just what You do for us.
Thank You for Your hand of protection during the storm. We ask You to pour out Your Spirit on the families who are mourning the loss of their loved ones. Comfort those who mourn. We weep with them.
For those of us who are still able, it is our honor to physically bow down and worship You. There is nothing like putting our bodies in the same position as our hearts. Some day that won’t be an option. Some day there won’t be any physical restrictions barring us. Some day it won’t be one out of many, but it will be every single person in every generation, in every tribe, and in every nation who bows down and worships You. Oh, how we praise You, Lord! It’s in Your Son’s Name we pray, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Love and Communication
Love and Communication
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
If marriage was designed by God, then why is it so hard? Are you like me and have thought this so many times? Marriage is not for the faint-hearted, the naïve, and quitters. It is only for the resolved, determined, and the tenacious. I don’t know of any other thing in life that has as much influence on our fulfillment and joy. Frankly, I don’t know how marriages without God as the center survive. They must be less than fulfilling. It causes many dear sisters much pain and anguish. Yet, a godly marriage gives us glimpses of God.
God’s Word tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:13 that out of faith, hope, and love, that the greatest thing that we could experience is love. Love involves connecting with another human being. Connecting requires communication. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t think they need to improve their communication skills. I was astonished in my college communication class when I learned that communication was made of three parts: words (8%), tone of voice (38%), and body language (55%). Additionally, communication is listening, as well as sharing. Only love could motivate us to want to communicate with someone so different from us. Only love would make us to want to overcome these barriers. Only love would make us want to be more patient. We can’t demonstrate love without having been filled with Christ’s love. Someone who has been filled with Christ's love cannot stop herself from giving it to others.
No other human has the power to hurt us like our mates. Likewise, we wield the same power to hurt them. Remember James tells us the power of our tongues. They are like the bits in horses’ mouths that can turn the whole animal, like a rudder to a large ship, or a small spark that sets off a forest fire. They can set our lives on fire (James 3:1-7). Proverbs 18:21 says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (NASB). It may take duck tape on our mouths sometimes, but we need to catch ourselves when we nag, belittle, condemn, get angry, or criticize. We can pray for God to prick us when destructive words start to roll off our tongues. Our tongues are the most influential and most powerful tool that we have. They can unleash great potential, creativity, and joy, or they can destroy and change the whole course of life.
I’m not telling you anything that God hasn’t already pressed into me. Maybe you know all of this but needed a reminder to be more encouraging, supporting, and uplifting. Our mates need cheering. I know you may be thinking like the parents at my daughter’s recent soccer team when the kids asked the parents to cheer for them. One parent said what we were all thinking aloud, “You need to give us something to cheer about!” It may take some time and creativity, but an ounce of encouragement goes a long way to motivate the human soul.
Some of us may be thinking, “Is it too late for my marriage?” or “This all sounds wonderful and I know it is right, but my marriage is too far gone.” Many times, we don’t know how it became “too far gone.” The love that we had our wedding day just slipped away. We may not know, but God knows, and He can reveal to us where things went wrong. However, we must be open to Him telling us our part in it! Some of us may have been the unwise woman who has torn down her own house. Some of us may be angry with him for the mistakes he has made – career, financial, parenting, or spiritually. Some of us may be so frustrated with him that we have stopped talking to him and just give him some fierce looks. Or maybe he has hurt us so badly we just give him a rejected or guarded look.
So how do we get past this? How do we have a marriage that gives us all that God designed for it to be? We turn to the God of hope. We turn to the God who resurrects marriages from the dead. We turn to Him in deepest prayer. Nobody is going to pray for our own marriage like we will. Will you join me?
Pray with me: Almighty God, thank You, Lord. You are amazing. You are still the truest love of our hearts. Thank You for those of us whom You have brought into marriage. Marriage is under such an onslaught, full scale attack by the enemy. We desire that You raise up godly marriages in the church as Your bride prepares for the return of her Groom.
We realize, Lord, that we need Your help in communication. Teach us to bridle our tongues. Do not let any unwholesome word come out of our mouths except words for edification (Ephesians 4:29). We bring You all the hurts of our marriages and relationships. We consecrate our thought life to You. We know that if we think bad thoughts, that we will speak bad words. Teach us to bring our thoughts captive. Help us to walk moment by moment in the Spirit. It is in the Name above all names, Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, that we pray, Amen.
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
If marriage was designed by God, then why is it so hard? Are you like me and have thought this so many times? Marriage is not for the faint-hearted, the naïve, and quitters. It is only for the resolved, determined, and the tenacious. I don’t know of any other thing in life that has as much influence on our fulfillment and joy. Frankly, I don’t know how marriages without God as the center survive. They must be less than fulfilling. It causes many dear sisters much pain and anguish. Yet, a godly marriage gives us glimpses of God.
God’s Word tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:13 that out of faith, hope, and love, that the greatest thing that we could experience is love. Love involves connecting with another human being. Connecting requires communication. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t think they need to improve their communication skills. I was astonished in my college communication class when I learned that communication was made of three parts: words (8%), tone of voice (38%), and body language (55%). Additionally, communication is listening, as well as sharing. Only love could motivate us to want to communicate with someone so different from us. Only love would make us to want to overcome these barriers. Only love would make us want to be more patient. We can’t demonstrate love without having been filled with Christ’s love. Someone who has been filled with Christ's love cannot stop herself from giving it to others.
No other human has the power to hurt us like our mates. Likewise, we wield the same power to hurt them. Remember James tells us the power of our tongues. They are like the bits in horses’ mouths that can turn the whole animal, like a rudder to a large ship, or a small spark that sets off a forest fire. They can set our lives on fire (James 3:1-7). Proverbs 18:21 says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (NASB). It may take duck tape on our mouths sometimes, but we need to catch ourselves when we nag, belittle, condemn, get angry, or criticize. We can pray for God to prick us when destructive words start to roll off our tongues. Our tongues are the most influential and most powerful tool that we have. They can unleash great potential, creativity, and joy, or they can destroy and change the whole course of life.
I’m not telling you anything that God hasn’t already pressed into me. Maybe you know all of this but needed a reminder to be more encouraging, supporting, and uplifting. Our mates need cheering. I know you may be thinking like the parents at my daughter’s recent soccer team when the kids asked the parents to cheer for them. One parent said what we were all thinking aloud, “You need to give us something to cheer about!” It may take some time and creativity, but an ounce of encouragement goes a long way to motivate the human soul.
Some of us may be thinking, “Is it too late for my marriage?” or “This all sounds wonderful and I know it is right, but my marriage is too far gone.” Many times, we don’t know how it became “too far gone.” The love that we had our wedding day just slipped away. We may not know, but God knows, and He can reveal to us where things went wrong. However, we must be open to Him telling us our part in it! Some of us may have been the unwise woman who has torn down her own house. Some of us may be angry with him for the mistakes he has made – career, financial, parenting, or spiritually. Some of us may be so frustrated with him that we have stopped talking to him and just give him some fierce looks. Or maybe he has hurt us so badly we just give him a rejected or guarded look.
So how do we get past this? How do we have a marriage that gives us all that God designed for it to be? We turn to the God of hope. We turn to the God who resurrects marriages from the dead. We turn to Him in deepest prayer. Nobody is going to pray for our own marriage like we will. Will you join me?
Pray with me: Almighty God, thank You, Lord. You are amazing. You are still the truest love of our hearts. Thank You for those of us whom You have brought into marriage. Marriage is under such an onslaught, full scale attack by the enemy. We desire that You raise up godly marriages in the church as Your bride prepares for the return of her Groom.
We realize, Lord, that we need Your help in communication. Teach us to bridle our tongues. Do not let any unwholesome word come out of our mouths except words for edification (Ephesians 4:29). We bring You all the hurts of our marriages and relationships. We consecrate our thought life to You. We know that if we think bad thoughts, that we will speak bad words. Teach us to bring our thoughts captive. Help us to walk moment by moment in the Spirit. It is in the Name above all names, Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, that we pray, Amen.
Copyright ©2009 Christ Compels
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