For Better Or For Worse

“God actually rises up storms of conflict in relationships at times in order to accomplish that deeper work in our character.”

- AW Tozer

When Ken and I got married 42 years ago, Ruth 1:16 was the Scripture we chose for our ceremony:

“But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”

Oh, I know exactly what you’re thinking! That’s between an Israelite mother-in-law and a Moabite daughter-in-law, not a married couple! Yes, you’re exactly right. But there’s more to this passage as Pastor Jared talked about this week in his message.

Pastor Jared said, “Sacrificial life is a blessed life, selfish life is a cursed life.” Naomi lived a life of sacrifice, and that is what drew Ken and I to this passage. Marriage is about sacrifice; actually, a life following Jesus is a life as sacrifice, if we model what He taught us!

This past Saturday, Ken and I were so privileged to do a fifteen year vow renewal ceremony for a couple in our church and fifty of their family members and friends. We have a lot of weekends that are filled with memorials, officiating weddings or other events. But this one was special!

Fifteen years ago, Ken and I saw the need for a Young Married Small Group (there was suddenly an influx of newly married couples in the church). We’d been married just over twenty-seven years at the time and knew starting a small group for this demographic was something we needed to do. We’d been through… a… lot… as a couple. There were times when it would’ve been so much easier to give up. Because we both desired to live to honor Jesus, we were able to fight hard for our marriage.

Tommy and Shannon were a part of that original Young Married Group. We had the wonderful opportunity to watch them deepen their love for Jesus and one another through the years. They were faithful to always show up (even with newborn twins), ask tough questions, and wrestle through hard truths. Fast forward when it was time for us to birth that group, it was Tommy and Shannon and one other couple we turned leadership over to. Why? Because they came to understand that God builds character and a deeper relationship with others when we love sacrificially.

You may be single, divorced or widowed and wondering how this applies to you.

Character is not just built in marriage. It is built in every relationship we have. We all can learn from the example of Naomi and Ruth, and ultimately, our kinsman redeemer, Jesus Christ!

If we love Jesus, we can’t help but show the love John and Paul talk about:

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

- I John 4:8

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

- Acts 20:35

There is a reason so many people came to celebrate Tommy and Shannon this weekend. I would imagine every person gathered in some way has experienced their exclusive commitment to Christ and overwhelmingly sacrificial love for others.

Let’s be generous in actively showing our love to others!

Pastor Pam

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