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Divine Design
You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3
He and she with a combination of big hearts and bad habits didn’t
exactly take the quantum leap from marriage on the rocks to marriage
on the Rock in one fell swoop.
Their life and their love were good and it was real, but she, who is
me, truly thought I had married perfection when we stood at the
altar. He just wouldn’t stay in my mold, and consequently I
struggled with disappointments. It was hard to adjust to something
different from what I had wanted and sure I needed, and hoped for,
and was so certain of before we married. My husband should be my
everything, and I thought I could be his perfect wife. Obviously
that wasn’t possible for either of us. I spent a lot of time on my
knees and eventually more and more time in the word, and I used a
lot of Kleenex.
I am not certain about the exact day it dawned on me that God might
just be happy with that arrangement – me on my knees – before Him
and Him alone. I would have worshiped my husband. Actually, I did
worship him until he refused to stay on the little pedestal he fit
so well on the year we were engaged. I was sad because he wouldn’t
conform exactly to the image I wanted to make him in to – the graven
image.
When it became clear through the voice of the Holy Spirit, it was
crystal clear. God wrote in my mind once and for all, His first
commandment. I had been inadvertently asking the Living God to give
me another, a replica of sorts, that would in a sense satisfy all my
hopes and dreams. The words of David rang as clearly. Against You O
God and You alone I have sinned. Psalm 51:4. Had my husband
fulfilled my desires perfectly, I can’t imagine where I would be
today spiritually. Complacent at best, I would have had no need for
God. I probably would have become very proficient in “religiosity,”
keeping rules rather than nurturing a divine relationship with
Christ. How unfair to my beloved husband, and how down right
insulting to the One I confess as LORD, my Master. Oh but how
absolutely patient and compassionate my heavenly Father was to bring
me this far.
Think of it, Beloved. My disappointment was His divine design and
discipline, yet it was His demonstration of love beyond measure. The
grounds for shouting are level indeed!
If you have ears to hear today my friend, listen to the Spirit
speak: You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make
for yourself and idol…,for I am a jealous God.
Exodus 20:3,4b,5b. Amen? Amen.
Toni |
