Rest Assured

Daddy has been meeting regularly with a man who is in his last days. The man has questions about his salvation and has yet to proclaim Jesus as his Lord. His wife, on the other hand, has and while watching her husband slowly succumb to this devastating disease is hoping and praying he will accept Christ as his Savior soon, as his time is running out. He listens. He questions. He looks for more information. He even prays. He just isn't convinced yet. And this one decision will be the greatest one he makes in this lifetime. We have a posse of people praying for him right now that he sees Christ is the Way, Truth and Life. What peace it will give not only him, but the wife that wants him to spend an eternity with our Lord.

That decision to accept Christ as Lord and be in obedience to Him is such a reassurance for both members of a couple. It means you will worship together. You will serve Christ together. You will raise children in the Lord together. You will pray together when things get rough or when you want to praise His name for your many blessings. It will direct where your money goes. It will permeate every major decision of your lifetime. It will be your source of strength, peace and comfort in the dark times. Having that now, at the start of your marriage, will be such a blessing to you both throughout your lifetime.

So here's the charge. First to the men - be the spiritual head of your household. Now. Be on your knees daily asking for direction from the Father. Be making sure you and your betrothed are worshiping every single Sunday. Make sure all the decisions you make as leader of your home has its foundation in Christ. Read your Bible every day for guidance through the Spirit. And love your wife as Christ loves the church. Imagine the peace and grace you will feel as a result of putting God first in your life.

And ladies - be that Proverbs 31 woman. The passage from verses 10-31 says,  

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.' Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

A tall order, yes. I mean, you don't literally have to plant a vineyard or wear purple, but you know, the point is to be righteous and work as if serving the Lord.

A couple we know has just had a second miscarriage. What did the husband do in the midst of this tragedy? He asked his friends and family for prayer. He sent out a message straight away to ask for prayer for them. This is a man who is the spiritual head of his home and seeking the will of God for encouragement, healing and comfort for himself, his wife and his future family.

We want our children to be solid in their relationship with Christ. We want you to be humble before the Lord, worship Him wholeheartedly and seek His guidance daily. We want to be assured that not only are our children right with Christ, but that their spouses, children, grandchildren and so on will be the same. That is truly eternal rest assured.

Discussion: Where do you need improvement to be the husband or wife God expects of you? What are some things you can do to be sure you are on the right track? What are things you are doing now to belong completely to Christ?

Prayer: Father, we pray for the souls of this earth who have not yet declared that Jesus is King. We pray, Lord, that they will see Jesus, the sacrifice He made for them and rest contentedly in His loving arms. And we pray our descendants will be in service to you to grow your Kingdom. In Jesus we pray, Amen.

We Have This Hope

Beachy, nautically ... that is the theme of Rob and Ayla's wedding. With Rob's love of boats and growing up near the Atlantic, Ayla's yearly vacations to the seashore and the couple's current location in the "happiest city in America," Sarasota, right on the gulf coast, it is a perfect theme for them. You will find seashells and sunset and water colors throughout the ceremony and reception. And one other symbol that means a lot to our daughter and has for a long time ... the anchor.

Lately the anchor has become a popular fashion item in clothing, jewelry and decor, but Ayla loved it long before it came into style. It stems from her love of this Bible verse in Hebrews 6:19, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul." What hope you ask? Well, you have to go back a few verses to get that info. The writer of Hebrews it telling the believers that God's promise of our eternal destination is sure. No matter what happens on this sea of life, tossing us to and fro via trials and challenges, we know without a doubt by God's grace we will be saved in Jesus Christ. He made it possible for us to enter the Holy of Holies where God dwells, which was once considered only accessible in the temple by a priest. Christ's death tore the thick, long veil that separated the holy inner temple from the cube-shaped location of the ark of the covenant, God's throne. Now we have access to the Father Almighty thanks to our Redeemer. And we have this hope forever. It will not change. As long as our belief remains steadfast in Him, we are anchored securely in our souls.

It's so comforting to know as a parent that our children have this hope. We know they are holding tightly to the Word and clinging to the promises of God. We know their eternal future in Him is set. And we pray they continue to keep their eyes on the One True God. To have that confidence in Christ, that sure foundation, brings a peace than cannot be compared.

We thank our Father in heaven, that our children have found souls to marry that have that same confidence and security. We pray you will always keep that hope as your anchor and glorify the One who holds your future in His hands.

Discussion: What does this hope mean to you? Tell of some storms in your life where God's anchor held you steadfast.

Prayer: "Hope like never before, You came to us!" says the song Set Free. Thank you, Father, for Your Son, Jesus Christ, our hope, our salvation! May we ever keep our eyes on You, our minds in the Word and our hearts fulfilling your plan through compassion in this world. In Jesus' beautiful name. Amen.

Symbol of Love

Looks like both the guys have found wedding bands! Anton decided awhile ago that he wanted to wear Great Uncle Louie Zimanek's ruby ring (the one Daddy wore for our 15th anniversary vow renewal). And Rob has just decided on a burnished tungsten carbide band - durable and 10 times harder than gold, good for folks who work with their hands a lot, say like a chef. Both are classy and gorgeous. I think if Anton could pull it off, he'd want The Lord of the Rings "One Ring To Rule Them All." Personally, we think Uncle Louie's is better.

Back in Egyptian times, reeds were twisted together and wrapped around fingers in a perfect circle. No end to the circle, it meant a lifetime together. An eternity. Of course, these reed rings didn't last quite that long and were replaced with bone or even ivory rings, then later more precious metals like gold and silver. While throughout the years, the ring has been worn on different fingers (even the thumb), it's settled on the fourth finger for reasons we explained in a previous blog ... it was thought a vein went straight to the heart from this finger. The Vena Amoris or vein of love. Actually there are veins from every finger to the heart, so medically the now-called "ring finger" does have a vena amoris. They all do.

The point of this ring is to remind the wearer and all those in viewing, that this person is off the market. He/she is married. And the ring seals the deal. Some of the vows said when the ring is placed on the left hand include:

• "As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you."
• "With this ring, I thee wed."
• "I place this ring upon your hand as a sign of my love and fidelity."
• "With this ring I pledge my love and life to you."
• "I offer this ring as a token of our love."
• "I give you this ring as a pledge of my love and commitment."
• "I offer this ring to you as a symbol of my love and of the vows I have just spoken."

 It's a symbol of the covenant made before the Creator of marriage. Except for a good cleaning, the ring doesn't come off. By God's grace, your Daddy's doesn't ever come off. While the ring fits perfectly, it can't make it over the knuckle, so it's on there snug, the way it should be. While there is no mention of wedding rings in the Bible, there are plenty of symbols used by God and man to symbolize a covenant (rainbow, circumcision, pillars), so to do likewise with a wedding ring is appropriate.

You want it to be comfortable. You want it to be durable. You want it to be something you love. You want it to mean something special to you. We think what both of you men have chosen fulfills all that and is classic and classy. Well done.

Discussion: What was the process you went through to decide on your wedding ring? What symbolism is important for you in wearing a wedding band? 

Prayer: Father, a symbol of a covenant made before you is a wonderful reminder of the value of it. We pray, Lord God, that we remember every time we look at our rings of the promise we made and the love we share. In Christ, Amen.