This week marks the halfway mark on our journey through Winning Him Without Words. What a ride it has been, as we have laughed, prayed, and learned new insights together about how to live our life before our husbands according to 1 Peter 3.
Before we move on, may I share a scene with you of the Israelites on their journey to The Promise Land [Exodus 14]. Perhaps it will be an encouragement to us on our journey.
Moses had just lead over six hundred thousand Israelites, along with their herd of cattle, out of Egypt where they had been slaves for over 430 years. At last they were on their way to Canaan, the land God had promised was theirs to inherit.
But Pharaoh, the Egyptian king and his army, came after them in hot pursuit. When the Israelites saw Pharaoh and his army coming, they began to cry out to Moses: “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die out here in The Wilderness.”
God spoke to Moses and said:
Tell the children of Israel to “GO FORWARD.”
“Go forward?” “The Red Sea is in front of us!” “Are you sure, God?”
But God knew what do about The Red Sea. “Stretch out your hand over the sea,” were His words to Moses. As Moses stretched his hand over the sea, the waters divided, the sea became dry land, and they crossed to the other side. The sea returned, and all the Egyptians drowned. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hands of the Egyptians, and they continued on their journey.
Now, one would think that after that miraculous delivery that the Israelites would never doubt that they could not make it to Canaan and receive the inheritance God had promised them. However, only two people of the original group, Joshua and Caleb, made it to Canaan.
Why only two? Could it be that Joshua and Caleb made it into Canaan because they never lost sight of the vision God had given them. Not only that, but they acted upon that vision despite the circumstances they faced and the people around them who didn’t believe it was possible.
I believe that God is saying to us: GO FORWARD with the vision He has given us for our marriage! And yes, He can part The Red Sea in our life to get us there.
This week, at our halfway stop in Chapter 5, Beverly, Jennifer, Donna, and Sarah gave us good insights to go forward by: Believing Our Marriage is Blessed.
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Let’s review their points now.
Monday: Believe your Marriage is Blessed – The Way to Mismatchdom – -Beverly points to the question that we who are in an unequally yoked marriage are often asked: “Did you know he wasn’t a Christian when you married him?”
In Beverly’s case, she did know that her husband wasn’t a Christian prior to marriage. But, as she points out, she could not then and even now after all these years change him.
However, Beverly has learned powerful lessons in her spiritually mismatched marriage:
- We aren’t better than our spouse just because we are the believer.
- A superior attitude is not showing or providing a warm welcome to who Jesus is.
- Don’t give up, God is fully aware of the situation.
- Recognize God’s presence.
- Relax and stop trying to do God’s job.
These lessons she has learned provides a real moment of truth: Only then can we begin to enjoy marriage, tensions will ease, and we won’t have to constantly be talking to our man about our faith. We are living it in front of them (remember, actions speak louder than words) they will see!
May we do likewise
Tuesday: “The Call to Obedience” / “God’s Plan for Your Marriage” – – Jennifer starts off on the call to obedience with Dineen’s statement on page 85. “What God requires of all covenant relationships, including marriages, is that He be at the center, whether your husband believes in Jesus or not.”
Jennifer then asks us some very pointed questions:
- What defines your relationship with Jesus?
- Is it defined by whether or not your spouse comes to faith?
- Is it defined by you being able to pray with your spouse or being able to read Bible passages together?
- Is it defined by going to church with your spouse…or not?
- Why does my (or your) relationship with our mighty Savior depend on the actions (or inactions) of another sinful, imperfect human
Jennifer makes a very valid point in conclusion: Since WE believe, WE bring Jesus into our marriage. And that, my dear friends, is powerful. Soak that it. Rest in that truth. Whether you see God in your marriage right now or not, I promise you HE IS THERE and HE IS WORKING
May we do likewise
Wednesday: Are We the Sweet Aroma of Christ, Or the Stench of Death? Donna had never given a thought before as to how she “smelled” as a Christian!
But, it made her think of a favorite aunt whose aroma was always so sweet, not only because of her perfume, but because she radiated love to her. She made Donna feel special and that she mattered to her. Her love was genuine and Donna could sense it, smell it, and see it.
Donna pointed out that is what is the kind of aroma God wants us to give off to our loved ones, according to 2 Corinthians 2:14-16.
Ask yourself:
- Does he see me living out my faith as the aroma of Christ?
- Does he something in me that he longs for in the deepest depths of his soul?
- Or does he see an ugly example that turns him off?
- Do I want to be the aroma of death, stinky, decaying, rotting, death? Or do I want to give off the sweet, loving, breathtaking aroma of Christ?
- “I choose Christ.”
May we do likewise
Thursday: Blessed Doesn’t Mean Easy – Sarah ends the week by bringing us back to “giving thanks” for being in a mismatched marriage or any problem, for that matter, that we encounter.
Our natural tendency, as Sarah pointed out, is to focus on the problem and not the blessing God is trying to show us, or the lesson He would like us to grasp. However, that doesn’t help or fix the issue.
Sarah challenges us to “turn your thinking around and see it through God’s eyes. Look out, because your whole demeanor is going to change. You will be happy, worry free, stress free.”
Sarah, herself, has started doing this in many areas of her life and, I quote: “the transformation in me was almost instantaneous!”
May we do likewise.
Friday: Discovery/Prayer – Father, God, I thank you for what you have taught us during the first five weeks on our journey in Winning Him Without Words. Help us to Go Forward remembering as we go, that “we can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us.” In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.
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Have a blessed day,
Martha
