Gentle Reader,
Ten years.
A decade.
Sometimes it feels like eternity. Sometimes it feels like a few months. There are ups and downs, twists and turns. Marriage. It’s nothing like I thought it would be. Not better. Not worse. Different. In all the right ways.
Marriage is work. Marriage is mystery. Marriage is laughter and tears and empty bank accounts and cold nights made warm by the presence of another. Marriage is lighting candles because that will make your husband feel good when he comes home from work. Marriage is sitting, wrapped up in a blanket, fighting nausea while your husband brushes your hair.
Marriage is a holy thing.
Chris, I’m glad to walking this weird, wonky, wonderful road with you.
Go.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways
and My thoughts than your thoughts.”– Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)
I am arrested by these words recorded by the prophet.
This portion of the Isaianic corpus concludes with a divine invitation. It is an invitation of grace, to receive lifegiving water free of charge. It recalls Yahweh’s earlier provision of manna and water in the desert and foreshadows the One who said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink” (Jn 7:37).
Vv. 6-7 are a final appeal to the exiles to seek Yahweh and return to him. Vv. 8-9 remind the people that their deliverance is beyond human comprehension. God’s word has promised it. It will not return void. We recall the opening verses of this portion of the book of Isaiah, “The word of our God stands forever” (40:8).
The prophet concludes this section by announcing and celebrating the departure from exile. Again, this act of deliverance will cause all creation to join in the celebration, and restored Israel will stand as an everlasting sign to all the nations that Yahweh is faithful to His covenant. – Asbury Bible Commentary (under the “study this” tab)
“Yahweh is faithful to His covenant.”
In the middle of the swirling, soupy clouds that so often block our vision, He clears a path. A space. He bids us come and sit with Him.
And there is rest.
Stop.
Nicely done, Marie. I so hope that you get the rest you need!
#2 at FMF this week.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2016/06/your-dying-spouse-172-not-without-fight.html
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I do not feel rest in my body, as I’m sure you’ve experienced, but there’s a real rest in my soul. God’s got me.
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Joining you in being married for a decade this summer! yes it’s not what we thought it would be.
I do find comfort in those words from Isaiah. It is restful knowing that though we do not grasp what God is doing or how and why certain things happen, for what purposes His way always trumps and is superior to ours. Always.
I know when I don’t rest in this, lean into His understanding I will lean into others and hurt myself and confuse myself.
I guess rest sometimes, many times looks like surrendering unknowns to God’s full and all together different knowledge.
Happy Anniversary
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Happy anniversary to you as well!
I think rest always looks like surrendering. That’s the way of it. We want to fight and strive and struggle when God says, “Stop.” In that moment, we have to choose what we’ll do. May we learn to sit and His feet.
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Married for almost 38 years now, and hoping beyond hope we make it to four decades in the face of an uncertain future. But God’s will be done, and we are grateful for the life we’ve had, and whatever life we have yet to come together. May the Lord bless and keep you, Marie, and make His face shine upon you. (#20, FMF)
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Oh, Susan. My heart is with you. May God pour peace and love into the strained places in your heart today. He is with you.
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I love your knowledge and love of The Word…and happy and blessed anniversary! xo
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Thank you, my friend!
I don’t know what I’d do without the Bible. I’m so thankful that God saw fit to speak to us that way.
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You are an absolutely phenomenal writer. I am blown away that you were able to pull such beautiful and profound words together in 5 minutes. Keep writing! Your reference to Isaiah was also very timely and tied in nicely with my devotionals this morning. Thanks! 🙂 #2 at FMF
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Thank you for your kind words, Brooke.
Isn’t it wonderful how God coordinates things? When He’s teaching me something, I see it all over the place. In the Bible, in music, in nature, in the words of fellow believers. He’s a good Teacher indeed!
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I really like the ending of this, Marie. It is all Him. He makes the way and He brings the rest. I was thinking about you this morning. Sending a prayer up for you
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I can’t thank you enough for your prayers. They mean so much to me.
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Praying for your body, (though it be dumb, it has strength to type of blog posts at a maniacal pace.) Way to stay in the fight and use your words for good. Marriage is a lesson in rest too. In reliance and being with someone in the ugly and beautiful. Sounds like you have a keeper. Keep slaying the dragons, Marie.
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Happy Anniversary friend! I know I’m late but decided to come back and read the posts I missed last week. I linked up late and am in the 51 spot.
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