A Marriage of Two

Over and over, I'm reminded in little ways how much I like convenience. I like to craft, but I'll hot glue anything that I can instead of sewing. I'll spray paint before actually pulling out a brush. I love mochas, but I would much prefer one someone else made me, even though I have the ability to make one at home. Part of it is our culture and time we live in. Yes, email is easier than mail. Yes, phone calls are easier than email. Yes, text is even easier than that phone call, and I can do them all on my phone. My camera is there, my internet is there, calendar...even my grocery list.

Part of it, also, is our human nature. The Bible repeatedly shows us the lives of people that want the easy way out of things, and though I didn't make the final cut to be in the Bible, I'm just as guilty as all those within its pages. I would love it if I could just be obedient without having to have my heart in the right place half the time. On my own, I'm very much a Pharisee. I could easily live a legalistic life, doing what's "right" but not always having the most pure motives. I would love it if I could simply read my Bible enough and stay magically in love with Jesus. But He asks for more. He wants my heart, my devotion, and love. I love that the Bible constantly compares our life with Christ to a marriage. It makes it much easier for me to understand. Lance would never be satisfied with a half hearted marriage and neither would I. He could come home and help with the girls, do some housework, provide for our family, but never have a real connection with me and I'd be devastated. He would never woo me or show me love and romance and devotion, and I'd step back and live in a haze. I'd work and work making things special at home so he'd want to be here, do little things so he knows I'm thinking of him, and go out of my way over and over, and the entire time, he does all the dutiful good husband things but our relationship is empty.

Spring is coming. God knows how fickle we are. He knows that though snow and ice is a marvel and an overcast sky has such beauty, that we get bored and annoyed. So, He brings spring. He shows us a world wide example of rebirth and resurrection. But, we would get tired of that too. The rains are too much and we get ready for something else (never mind that spring lasts less than a few months.) So, summer, beautiful colors, bright sunshine, and the animals all come out. Of course, that's too hot, and we don't have enough rain, and yada yada. He's effortlessly moving the universe to glorify Him and praise His name, not ours and so...we aren't that interested sometimes. How hard it is to remember we were not created first. That this world isn't about us...and that there is never just one person in a marriage. This conviction comes from the depths of my soul, but I hope maybe in me confessing my issues of selfishness and hatred of summer ;), that someone else can relate and find Him a little easier.