Yesterday would have been Nate’s and my 45th anniversary, had he lived. It wasn’t a sad day, because I spent time thinking of all the blessings of having been married to him. It was a long list!
Looking back at pictures of the two of us (here while we were dating), I smiled at the blush of new love. Since I met him two years before we decided to get engaged, I figured by that time I knew him pretty well. But when he died, after 40 years of marriage, I was still learning new things about him.
During those 4 decades I did learn that husbands and wives can never know everything about each other. Even after Nate found out he had cancer and would live only a short time, I discovered new things about him and his responses to life…. and death.
Something similar might be said about our relationship with Jesus. After we’ve first met him, whether as children or adults, we quickly begin thinking we know him pretty well. That is until we learn one more thing… and one more… and one more. Eventually, after decades of being Christians, we conclude there’s always more to discover.
Once in a while we find out something we’d rather not know, for example the high standard God wants us to live by or the humble attitude he wants us to have. We respond by trying to tweak what he said. We tell ourselves, “He didn’t really mean it that way. Surely it’d be ok if we did it just a little differently.”
Husbands and wives do the same thing with each other. After a few years of marriage when a wife learns something she doesn’t like about her husband, she tries to modify him or squeeze him into her definition of who she thinks he should be. He tries to do the same with her. (Nate and I were both guilty of this.)
The question to ask ourselves is, if I get to know who this person really is, will I still be able to love him?
That’s a good question to ask about Jesus, too. As we learn more and more, including things we don’t necessarily want to know, are we still willing to love him and cooperate with him?
A “yes” answer is the best answer, both in marriage and with the Lord, and it’s possible that even in eternity I’m going to learn new things about Nate. As for God, I have a hunch none of us will ever learn it all.
“What about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Luke 9:20)
Praising and Praying with Mary
- I’m praising God for a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with all the kids and grands, and 75 degrees!
- Please pray for strength and energy for a busy week ahead.