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Abigail's
Newsletter |
February 11, 2000 |
| God is love. God ordained love, and created man and woman to keep each
other company and love each other. The love extends to children, but in a different way.
Only between husband and wife did God plan for a special physical union of love. The
enjoyment of watching your spouse, touching, pleasuring, and satisfying. It is a deep and
special love that joins a man and a woman as one, a bond ordained by God.
But ours is not a perfect world, and many do not know love, cannot share love, dare not
give love. |
As we draw near to Valentine's Day, there is such pressure for romance and
love regardless of your relationship. In marriage is where the physical love of sex
belongs. Yet even there, with God's blessings, sometimes the imperfect love of men and
women falls short of expectations, and can be painful. Reach out to your husband this
week, without thoughts of getting, just give, at least a little. Offer a kiss every time
you part, and when you come together again. Or a special backrub, or a nice service or
gift which your husband would appreciate. Try to make his day, and offer yourself. |
"Who is this that
appears like the dawn,
fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
majestic as the stars in procession?
I went down to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley,
to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom.
Before I realized it,
my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people.
Come back, come back O Shulammite;
come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!"
Song of Songs 6:10-13 (NIV) |
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February 18, 2000 |
| God gives us hope through His word. We must read the Bible in order to
take hold of the hope which God freely gives to us. It is a hope beyond our circumstances.
May God's word encourage you every day. We also receive a spirit of unity (v. 5) as
followers of Jesus. As husband and wife you should be united in the same way, with one
heart and one mouth. How difficult it is to be in unity with my husband. We do not see
things in the same way, nor approach life the same. We react, speak, view life and each
other in so many different ways. If just two of us can so easily fall out of oneness, then
God's gift of the spirit of unity is even more precious for all believers.
We are to accept each other as Christ accepts us, not based on another person, just
Jesus. And He accepts you without blame. |
Those who have been married longer, or through more troubles have become
wise, and their thoughts parallel the wisdom of God. "My own behavior, not my
husband's is all that I am responsible for before God."
"I must not allow my good attitude to depend on something or somebody. My
attitude should be dependent only on a continuing, stable relationship with God who loves
me and provides for me at all times, day and night, no matter what."
"Anyone can make demands. It takes a strong person to spend time satisfying
another person's need."
Jesus came to serve, and asks us to do the same, in an attitude of giving, not
martyrdom, out of joy, not burden. May God grant you joy in service to Him. |
"4For everything that was written in the past was written
to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might
have hope.
5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity
among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth
you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring
praise to God. 8For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on
behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs 9so that
the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:
'Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing hymns to your name.' " Romans 15:4-9 |
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