Those
who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings
like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not
be faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
We've
been married almost 35 years, and we love each other in a deeper, more
satisfying way than the day we said, "I Do." But that love has not
always come easy or without cost.
In
order to truly love someone, you have to experience the deep places of
pain and agitation. Times when you feel so bewildered and frustrated you
could just scream. Times when you want to walk out the door and not
look back. Times of great loss. Times of disagreement when the solution
is cloudy and you see no resolution in sight. This is the stuff of life
that God uses to mold a marriage made in heaven. Indeed, marriage will
test every fiber in your spiritual fabric.
The
struggle to grow a godly marriage can be downright wearisome at times.
But God promises the time invested is well-worth the effort. He promises
to renew our strength, to mount us up with wings like eagles, if we
will commit ourselves and our marriages to Him.
It
all begins with the mating ritual. The eagle is a beautiful example of
lifelong commitment. In search of a worthy mate, the female eagle flies
upside down to capture the eye of a prospective mate. The male eagle who
will fly over the female and grip her talons, not letting go, even as
she plummets toward the ground below, is the one who has proved that he
will remain with her for life. As they both almost crash to the ground,
the female releases her hold and flies upright. She is satisfied that
her hero has risked everything to prove his love for her.
In
the same way, a woman needs to know that her man will lay down his life
for her if need be. And a man needs to know that his wife will
surrender to his lead.
Furthermore,
the eagles are equipped with a six to eight foot wingspan that enables
them to fly long distances, as much as three to four thousand miles at a
time. In the same way, mates need to know that the other is committed
for a lifetime, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for
richer or poorer, until death due them part.
Like the eagle, godly marriages go the distance.
Copyright © 2011 Chuck and Eileen Rife - Lifetime Growth Publications www.guardyourmarriage.com
No comments:
Post a Comment