Love the one you are with

Some of this is a repost from May 2007, but after what I heard today, (another Hollywood marriage or should I say "union" bit the dust after 2 weeks ... (what?) ... this entry deserves a second look AND I have entered a writing contest from Lysa TerKeurst @ Proverbs 31 ministries.

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This is an old song, but I keep hearing this phrase in my head over and over again this week. Love the one you are with. Love the one you're with! On one side I have marriages literally falling apart around me and on the other side new marriages forming with people saying, "if it works okay and if it doesn't, that is okay too". Is it? Why do we do this to ourselves, don't we know Satan is in the wings waiting to set us up for attacks? He is already very busy and very crafty and does not need any help.

Why do people get married? Why did I get married?
I got married because I fell in love with my fantabulous husband "Fish". We met and married in the same year (with counseling and approval from parents and our Pastor). It was love at first sight, but God was front and center in this relationship and we kept asking, is this what we should do? Unbeknowst to both of us, He was writing letters to God, I was writing letters to God and all along we were looking out for one another. I am NOT saying everyone should meet and marry within 9 months, but I know without a shadow of a doubt, with tweleve years under our belts, that this was what we were supposed to do. We do not complete each other, that was already done BEFORE we were married, but we complement each other and we are about doing God's work TOGETHER!

Love is a feeling, but you need way more than lovely feelings when you are about to scream to the top of your lungs and mentally hit your loved one over the head! Love is a continual action. Love is not self serving .. if it was I would have been out of here a long time ago, BUT see that is what I am saying .. people give up at the first sign of trouble .. he puts the toilet paper up instead of down, he doesn't like Colgate (what do you mean, you can get that stuff for .25cents after coupons and a sale at Krogers .. sorry that is another story) .. but really the first sign of "differences" people are ready to head to Judge Mabalene .. no way, no way .... Why is it that when people get married, they RUNNNNNNN to the church, but when it is time for help and healing .. the last place they want to see is the church? You must think at every turn, what would Jesus do? I'm serious .. what would Jesus do when your spouse innocently says you might need to do some extra walking this week - - I (Natural) would say .. what? And who are you .. isn't that your second helping on ice cream?What happens when you are a spender and he is saver? You spank, he spoils? You cannot run away! Just as we have run to Jesus to bless the union, you have run back to Jesus as things are falling apart! The grass is NOT greener on the other side, I mean, really check it .. it could be some of that grass artifical grass I saw on TV last week) no really, check it .. when you leave the one you are with .. you are just jumping into another fire this time with more stuff to blow up the fire because this time you have some junk to put in the fire. DON'T DO IT! DON'T DO IT!

Pray and ask God for radical HELP! I am not saying I know what people are going through that are going through a breakup, seperation or whatever, but please STOP, Look, and Listen to what God is saying .. even if you do not like it. Be truthful and honest with yourself and God, He alreadyknows .. but wants to hear from you!

Marriage is a covenant agreement, especially with God's children. Do you realize that you have not just "gotten out" of your agreement with your other half, you HAVE betrayed God!
Stop, confess, cry out get some counseling, have someone hold you accountable and ask the Lord for HELP. God knows and He loves you!

Marriage Scriptures to meditate on
these are not for "a scripture a day to keep Satan away", meditate on them!

Hebrews 10:24 (New International Version)
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

I Corinthians 13:4-7 (New International Version)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Proverbs 18:22 (New International Version)
He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.

I WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU!