Marriage Made In Heaven (#31)

Recently, in a North Carolina hospital, Doris and Sherwood, having been married 61 years, died only minutes apart while holding hands.*

In a Florida hospital, Bill and Esther, having been married 66 years, also died minutes apart.  Their daughter said that “They were always, always together.”*

What a blessing— to have such beautiful marriages.  And God always wants this for us!  

Listen to one marriage in His word (from the Song of Solomon):

• “My beloved is mine, and I am his” (6:3).  “May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!  For his love is better than wine” (1:2). 
• “Most beautiful among women” (1:8).  “Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely” (4:3).

How beautiful.  And how exciting!

One passage says: ““Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth” (Ecclesiastes 9:9; NETBible).

God is here and God helps.

*To read about these couples, click here and here.

Someone* wrote, “In history, actions of honor and dishonor do appear plainly and distinctly…but in the present age they are so disguised."  It’s true: The world is in chaos; and it’s often difficult for us to know if what’s happening is right or wrong.

But don’t worry!  Because God doesn’t share this limitation — consider this scripture: “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13): God knows everything about every person and every action. 

Four things about this:

1. Justice will be done!  
2. Isn’t it good that God is the judge — He knows all the facts and He’ll make the right decisions.
3. Don’t ever think you are tricking God.
4. We all need to learn what God thinks is good.

God is here and God helps.

*Thomas Hobbes, preface to his 1628 translation of Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War

In a war* in 1675, a good man named John Eliot was going to feed and clothe some Indians stranded on an island, but some religious Puritans smashed his boat to pieces!**

Sadly, we could multiply examples of so-called godly people committing hateful atrocities — history is littered with these.

And the temptation is to throw the baby out with the bathwater and give up on God Himself.  But God never approves of sin — listen to this strong condemnation in the Bible: “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen.  Your hands are covered with blood” (Isaiah 1:15).  

God. Hates. Sin.

So please, don’t you give up on God just because others who claim to be godly don’t follow His instruction.

God is here and God helps.

*King Philip's War, aka Pometacomet's War

**Gods of War, Gods of Peace (2002); Russell Bourne, page 11