Week Three: Day Six
The Story
Matt and Anna agreed to an eleven-month engagement. Anna had always wanted to get married on New Year’s Eve. Matt figured it was a date that would make it hard to forget their anniversary so they began to make plans.
As any engaged couple knows, waiting is the hardest part of the marriage journey. Hope Community Church required couples being married to undergo four sessions of marriage counseling. This is where Matt and Anna met counselor Réah.
Réah was nearly sixty years old, had her masters in counseling, and had been teaching new couples the ropes for over thirty-five years. Her favorite thing about the initial marriage counseling appointment was how soon-to-be newlyweds think they have each other figured out. Soon, she uncovers some hidden truth about each individual that brings an “ah-ha” moment. She knows that she has bettered their future marriage, but has brought about momentary couple-frustration. She enjoys it. Réah is wild and fun!
During Matt and Anna’s first counseling appointment, Réah asked the couples to speak about each other’s parents, but from what the other one knows about them. This always brings about some form of misunderstanding and an opportunity for growth. During Matt’s description of Anna’s mother, he noted that she was a little controlling. Anna did not agree. Conversely, Anna thought that Matt’s dad was hard to get along with. This was the first time that Matt had heard Anna say this and it was completely surprising to him.
Réah did not let the two continue with the list of things they didn’t like about each other’s parents, but rather proposed to them that they were going to be marrying each other’s families as much as each other. While they were to leave and cleave, they still needed to understand that they were not only the genetic blend of their parents, but also the character blend of the two.
Ultimately, Réah opened both Matt and Anna’s eyes to the fact that in marriage they were going to need wisdom. She told them about the importance of prayer. There is a little-known statistic that couples who pray together every night stay together. They minimize their chance of divorce into the single digits. Réah recommended that they trade off praying each night.
While these eleven months of waiting for their wedding day was packed full of patience, both Matt and Anna appreciated the opportunity to intentionally ask God for wisdom in their marriage.
The Devotion
A lot of focus is given to the patience of Job in commentaries about the book that bears his name. This is most certainly true. Perhaps as striking to me, though, is the wisdom of Eliphaz in chapters four and five. Eliphaz is not as famous as Job. No one tells you to “have the wisdom of Eliphaz.” But his counsel to Job in the beginning stages of his testing is sure to keep Job from sinning.
Job 4:10
“The lions may roar and growl, yet the teeth of the great lions are broken.”
Job 5:8-9
“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”
Job 5:17
“Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”
Honestly, when I get to Job in my Bible, I tend to think I’m not going to like it. Job can be a dreary and long read. However, look at those passages above. There is great strength in the Lord we serve. Even in troubled times, we can appeal to God. He blesses us as he corrects us. You can’t have one without the other.
In Romans 5, Paul writes to the Church in Rome and tells them that suffering, which is often associated with patience, produces perseverance which then produces character and hope. There is an important order in the process of building character.
In James 1, the author says that anyone who lacks wisdom should ask for it. In fact, the book of James is similar to the Old Testament book of Proverbs, but wrapped in New Testament language. In the Old Testament, Solomon makes wisdom his only request of God when becoming king, and in return he gains everything else he could have asked for. God is the great giver of gifts. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. In almost every case he is looking at our hearts, waiting for us to be willing to receive. It’s similar to throwing a ball to my son. My son wants to catch the ball, but I must get his attention first.
Be encouraged today that the same God who made the hills knows the number of hairs on your head, even the ones that have turned gray. If you are in a time of perseverance and patience you can know that your character is being formed. If you are in a season where a little wisdom would add to your ability to serve His Kingdom, ask and it will be given. Remember, God does not want to give poorly, he wants to do so with good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. You can trust Him!
The Bible
The Prayer
“Dear Lord Jesus, I thank You that You are a good Father knowing how to give excellent gifts to Your children. Today I trust You as I persevere in this life. You are building my character. I am hopeful for a great yield. I ask that You give me wisdom to serve You. I pray that it would not be in small measure, but good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Thank You! In Jesus’ name, amen.”
