Celebrating 22 Years With My Second Love

God has been better to me than I deserve. Especially since all I deserve (that is, my sins have earned me) is Hell and His full wrath (Rom 3:23, 5:9). But because God is love and He is perfect, pure, holy, righteous and compassionate, full of mercy and grace (Ps 103:8-14), He chose to save me 41 years ago. Then the Lord saw fit to bless me with a husband 22 years ago, who loves Christ more than me (Col 1:18). Can a girl ask for more?

I'm so very grateful to be my husband's forever second love. I pray the Lord will make me the kind of help-meet that will highlight his strengths, be a balm for his pains and a loving and understanding covering for his weaknesses (Prov 10:12, 31:11-12; 1 Pet 4:8).

Marriage is the most important earthly relationship in the sight of God the Father; for He uses it as an earthly paradigm of His Son's relationship with His Bride, the Church (Eph 5:25-27).Therefore marriage ought never be considered, entered into or maintained with ephemeral affections or self-centered notions.

Because marriage is a holy covenant given by God to a man and a woman, anyone desiring to enter into this covenant ought to fervently pray, pursue wise and biblical counsel and continually search the Scriptures to ensure all things are done in a fitting and pleasing manner before the Lord.

It is sinful for professing Christians to enter into holy matrimony with the same worldly, self-absorbed he/she makes me feel good and fulfills all my desires, hopes and dreams (James 4:4, 17). Men ought to seek out women who pursue Christ as it is written in Proverbs 31:10-31; Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18, 23-24 and 1 Peter 3:1-6―for starters. Just the same, women ought to seek men who pursue Christ as it is written in Psalm 1:1-3; Proverbs 2:1-22, 3:5-12; Ephesians 5:25-30 and 1 Peter 3:7.

Will any man or woman live out these Scriptures perfectly? No. And that's not the point. The point is that every professing believer ought to pursue the things of God without constant external prodding. This is the evidence that God's Holy Spirit does in fact, dwell in you.

There are no perfect Christians, only a perfect Christ who's Spirit wills and works all things for God's glory (Rom 8:28-30, Eph 2:10).

We have been bought with a very high price―the precious and pure blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Our lives, our bodies and all we have rightly belong to the Lord. Therefore it is our extreme privilege and highest honor to live for the holy calling and pleasure of God, rather than live for the depraved desires of the flesh.

I don't know where you are in your  marriage today or more importantly, where you are in your relationship with Christ, the only Savior. But I would like to encourage you to press on toward the upward call of God in Jesus Christ, to abide in His love, seek Him and His kingdom first, keep or make your affections for the Lord preeminent above all, love your spouse second best, children tied for third and serve everyone as unto the Lord.

Live coram Deo.