Having been married 6 and a half weeks, I've found most of the advice regarding marriage to be untrue. One common theme has been about losing the bachelor's ease of life after the wedding. Thankfully, I've found my marriage to be nothing but convenient.
Life is a process of putting the world within us to death and nuturing the new man in obedience to Christ. Enjoying spiritual victories through the Spirit is ecstasy. To that end, I delight in God's abundance by giving me a wife. Marriage is the constant opportunity to die to yourself. When I was single, I had to search to find the chance to consider people other than myself. Now, my day is filled with precious proving grounds, testing the strength of my character continually, each failure relaying areas to bolster, and each success evoking surpassing joy in God.
It's sort of like being created to ball, and never having to look for a game.
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7 comments:
Good stuff. I've now been married for 1 year, 3 months, and 11 days and can attest to the truth of what you've written here. I get such a good laugh when people say, "The first year's the hardest."
I heard it once said that if you want to serve Jesus, stay single. If you want to be like Jesus, get married. I don't know where that's from, but I think there's some truth in it. How would you process that in your 6 and a half weeks of marriage?
thank god...when i read this post's title i thought, "Crap, he's hitting pepole again." It's awesome that you're finding marriage to be everything it's supposed to be and more. I hope one day I can feel the same way. If anyone's interested, let me know...I'm nice, I can cook, and I was told today I have pretty hair. What more do you need?
to be relevant,
Thanks for your comment. Marriage so far has been the most difficult thing I've endeavored, but that's why it is so rewarding. Who said I wanted to grow soft with an easy path, you know?
That's an interesting bit of advice from an unknown author. I think it is worth mulling over, but I don't really believe you can serve Jesus without obeying Him, which means imitating Him in most ways.
Not that you were saying this, but I, for one, am hugely opposed to over-marginalizing the single life. Being single is a unique time to boldly follow the Spirit. It's not just an waiting period before marriage. At one point, I believe God was leading me to be single for life, and I was thrilled about it. Serving God as a single man is like being in the Special Ops. That being said, most people are created to be married, like me, just like most soldiers are infantryman.
Phil,
I am still hitting people. If you want, I can get my parents to hook up an arranged marriage for you like theirs.
>>Marriage so far has been the most difficult thing I've endeavored
Abe, for some reason it is refreshing to hear you say this. Last week I was talking to Sonya and she was like "ya know, you and Matt & Lisa W. are the only people I know who don't talk about marriage like it is the easiest thing in the world." I thought that was interesting.
Phil, I have a friend in Texas who reads your blog and thinks that you are the cat's meow. She's a bit old for you, but she has a daughter who is maybe 14. Think you can wait a few years?
~Teresa
"Thankfully, I've found my marriage to be nothing but convenient...It's sort of like being created to ball, and never having to look for a game."
Nice juxtaposition, man. I read that first paragraph and had a feeling I knew where you were heading. I'm with you. If marriage were easy, it would be a waste.
Oneway,
As I said, I think there's some truth in that statement about single life verses married life. I was throwing it out for discussion purposes.
I agree with what you said about obedience and imitation. Perhaps the quote is drawing from Paul's thoughts on being single and how marriage can sometimes divide our attention. Also, I think it's maybe commenting on the concept of Jesus having the Church as a bride and how husbands are to love their wives the same. Again, just thoughts.
T-bone,
That is interesting, I'm glad you are striving for a sanctified marriage.
Ariel,
>>If marriage were easy, it would be a waste.<<
Superb summation.
toberelevant,
You have listed some good insights. Pual does make that case, and it certainly happens to the most well-intentioned men.
The idea of loving my wife like Christ loves the Church is daunting to say the least. I'll keep praying.
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