August 19, 2011

• First Love is First

  I woke up this morning and the first thought that came to my mind was that "God is awesome.  He is wonderful."  It was told to me that if in marriage, if I wake up thinking about someone else and feel great about it, then the marriage is doomed.  We both know that this is the wisdom of the world and that the world teaches that for a marriage to work, one spouse must thinking about the other spouse first and foremost, not another person.  This is the not the case with us.  We both think about our Father first, not each other.  And, we both ignore the advice of the world.

  Yep, I am guilty of thinking about someone else with greater love and devotion than thinking about my wife.  Yep, I am guilty of loving this person more than I love my wife.  And, I am guilty of giving this person all my life and loyalty above my wife.  Yeah, it was told that if a marriage that comes to this point is doomed.  That is the wisdom of the world.

  For a marriage to succeed and succeed well, both partners must put God first and foremost.  God's way is clear.  Through the death and resurrection of Christ by faith, salvation is given to man.  It is not on our works and our efforts that we rely to fulfill the law, but Christ's work and efforts that we rely on to fulfill the law.  Likewise, it is not our own work and efforts that we rely on for a marriage, but the work and efforts of Christ.  This is the way of the cross.

  Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.  One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.   And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:34-40)

  “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

  He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

  “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:26-28)

  My first love is Jesus Christ, not my wife.  And, yes, she does read my blogs and know what I am writing about.  Her first love is Jesus Christ also, not me.  And, we both wake up for Him, starting our morning prayers, meditating on the Bible, writing journals entries/devotions, and thinking about Him.  

  The wisdom of the world warned us that the first year of marriage is the hardest and most difficult.  Although we are not perfect and there were struggles, putting Christ in the center of our lives have made our lives together very rewarding.  The advice given to me by the old church that is we should work on a marriage.  I am not questioning the good intentions that they had, being concerned about our marriage and how it seemed to be sudden.  What I question is their understanding of what it means to love God first and to put Him first in our lives.  It is because He told to marry each other that we did indeed marry each other.  And, it is and always be will be that we put Jesus Christ, our Savior first before each other.  That is the way of the cross, the way of life.  Jesus tells us to first love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.  Then, you love your neighbor as yourself.  He further tells us, "Do this and you will live."  Indeed, we are living, living in the grace, love, and truth of God because we put Him first.

  Copyright 2011 Christenstein

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