The following post was written too a brother in Christ a few weeks ago, but is dedicated to Van and Erin Barnett.
Proverbs 5:18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Proverbs 5:19 A loving doe, a graceful deer -- may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love
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Malachi 2:13 Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Malachi 2:15 Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.
I know we are quickly approaching Fathers days. This year's Valentines day is a distant memory already, and Mothers day is quickly ebbing into our past, so it may seem a little odd to talk about wives, mothers and offspring today. However, anyone that knows me knows that I have never been one to focus on things when everyone else does. Too me it is far too easy to focus on topics when they are in collective group think.
Too me it means more too look at issues when they are not just in popular conversation. Easter is not just once a year, if you focus routinely on the resurrection of Christ. Christmas is just not in late December, if you look for the gifts God gives us year round. Thanksgiving is about more then turkey and family, if you see all that God does for you each day. Memorial Day is not just about the dead of war, if you think about all that have died to allow the word and body of Christ to move forward over the last two millenniums. So, in that tradition of being focused on the things of God in and out of season, today I am thinking about the beautiful wife of my youth even when there are no women focused days on the horizon.
God sent me a special blessing when He sent me my wife, and He expects me to treat her as such. It is easy to notice how blessed I am at certain times, when she helps me, supports me, cares for me, listens to me, and heals me. Even with that though, it is easy to miss the small blessings she brings to my life every day. God wants me to notice even the little things she does each day for me. For too long the men of God have allowed the women, and children, in their lives to suffer out of sheer neglect and inattention. God can not make us leaders and lights to the paths of the world, if we are not being leaders at home, and lights in the paths of our own families.
I think that the main purpose of Promise Keepers, whether it is right or wrong for each man is irrelevant, was to reignite the overall part of the body called "the men of Christ". Like many Para church movements it had a season of huge impact and then faded too a place of reduced influence once that season passed. That is not to say that it is bad, wrong, or anything else. Promise Keepers is just not as impactful today as it was a few years ago. All things have their seasons, but that does not mean their message is bad or irrelevant. Regardless of Promise Keepers influence today, the central message is still in need of being repeated within the body - men be the leaders God called you too be, and start by getting your house in order. You can not lead the world if you can not lead a household.
My point in this post is not to imply that you have marriage problems, or that you are a bad leader, or that you are married to a bad leader or dating a potentially bad leader. This is also not a mia colipa of my own failings either - honestly my wife and I are probably doing as well as we ever have. My point today was two fold.
First of all we should be thankful for the wives/husbands of our youth. I believe God puts us with women/men early in our lives where we do/did not have more regrets latter in our lives. By "growing up" and growing together at the same time we have a shared history to fall back on when bad times come we can look to our past to find the strength to conquer our future together.
Secondly, and more importantly I think, we need to be sure that Satan is not attacking our marriages or families due to our lack of attention. Many a man (and woman) has been hindered or destroyed by not properly prioritizing their marriages and families. If Satan and his demons can mess with a family they are impacting numerous people instead of just one at a time. More impact for less work, and less working being done for God because more believers are distracted.
Have a great day and thank God for the wife/husband of your youth that will stand beside you into your old age.
Best Wishes Van and Erin Barnett - you all are a great couple and you all will have a wonderful life together. Know that we love you and will be praying for you both, but more for you Erin as Van is a problem child, just kidding. Hope too see you both soon.
