Growing Together
My son and daughter-in-law (greatest one ever) were married about ten months ago. They do not live to far from me, so I get to see them on a fairly frequent basis. They took a fair amount of time during the engagement period getting to know one another, but getting to know one another extends far beyond the engagement and into the marriage. My wife and I have been married 33 years this year and I continue to discover who she is. Do I know much more about my wife than my son does his? Yes I do. This is a product of time spent with my spouse and deliberately trying to understand who she is. Of course, as any man knows, he will never figure his wife out in complete. However, as time goes forward, a man and a woman who exercise love toward one another and spend time with one another will steadily be growing together. Their knowledge will increase, their bond will increase, and if their path is walked with God, their joy for the future will abound.
The Bride of Christ need never fear about the faithfulness of their Groom. He loves at all times. He longs for us to embrace eternal life together. Yet, as in any marriage, we must spend time together so that we will draw closer to one another. Encouragement in scripture such as 2 Timothy 2:15, Acts 17:11, and I Thessalonians 5:17 call for us to discover who our Lord is and to communicate with Him. The Apostle Peter encouraged continually growth in knowing Christ to those who took His name (2 Peter 3:18). When we walk with Him, showing our love for Him (John 14:15) our relationship will bloom. In any marriage, the longer you discover one another, you know what pleases, comforts, and brings peace and happiness to your companion. Efforts such as this, applied over time, come from the inner man, allowing Christ and His Bride to be growing together.
Consider psalm 119. Over and over David, a man after God’s own heart, speaks of the blessedness of the words of God. He delights in His testimonies. He wants to know God’s thoughts. He knows the presence of the Lord in his life makes him a better man. David cannot help, but praise God because of the relationship God extends to Him. He does not have to worry that God won’t be there, that God might fail him, or that God cannot be trusted upon in times of trouble. This comes from seeking closeness and building a stronger relationship with God with each dawning day. This bond comes from not neglecting a relationship, but cultivating it. Would you consider simply not hearing your spouse’s voice for days or weeks at a time? If you answered yes, by the way, it isn’t because things are as God planned them is it? It is because you and/or your spouse have stepped away from God’s plan, if only in a moment’s display of poor behavior.
As previously stated, exercising love and spending time together is core to a happy relationship. When either point is neglected, the relationship will suffer. God will never be the contentious spouse. He will never fail to love you. He will never be unkind. He will never be unfaithful. So, when the relationship with God seems to be crumbling, you feel your faith waning, it isn’t God, it is you. There is a solution, breathed from the mouth of God himself: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” If you desire God, seek him, and love Him, you will never be alone. You will experience the joy of togetherness eternally. That union will always grow and produce the fruit of joy.
