As we are in the midst of the 16 Day Love Challenge, the Lord has been speaking to me in many areas. Wow, don’t you love it when the Lord speaks to you and brings painful things to bear so that He may re-make you into the beautiful wife that He desires and that He sees us to be? Now, that is a “good hurt” or “good ouch.” God’s gentleness comes through the process that He is undertaking by growing me to be more like Him.
How about you? Can you relate? Any good hurts this week (or a revelation or light coming on in any particular area — many of you are already sharing on the Club some of these moments)?
This weekend God prompted me to remember to “renew my love story from the Word.” During this 16 Day Love Challenge it is imperative to remember the perfect love that we receive from the Father.
Yes, our marriages are works in progress. Sometimes our marriages are a beautiful love story offering a vibrant, consistent source of joy to both partners. Other times…not so much.
But we do have a perfect LOVE story. God’s Word is a trustworthy, authentic account of that story.
It is important to place the Word foremost in our lives because the Word has power to transform our very lives, and then flow to our relationships. Do not underestimate this power for your very situtation.
Isaiah 40:8 says,
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” (NIV)
God’s Word is enduring and indestructible.
2 Peter 1:12-21 reminds,
So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
God’s Word is trustworthy and it is through His Word the God’s Spirit teaches us and molds us.
Once we firmly believe this, we must live like we believe it.
All of it.
This is where the rubber hits the road. This is where we can begin to see the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in our marriages. As we continue with the Love Challenge, we can know that God’s exhortations for us to love, as He does, will produce more than we can imagine in our marital relationships.
As the Word saturates and permeates our lives, it will unleash the Love Story of God in our lives. You see, dear sister in Christ, your marriage (and mine) were meant to model the Love Story that Christ wrote with His beloved bride, the church. As we become better at loving our spouse as Christ teaches, then we will impact the world for Christ.
Through my marriage? Yes! It is God’s design for our marriage to mirror the Love Story He has for everyone. The Love Story that draws women and men to a saving, restored relationship with the Holy God.
Now that is amazing! And perfect.
Revere the Word – study it, memorize it, meditate on it, sing it, hear it — and remember the greatest Love Story ever told.
♥Kim
