Encouragement

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“To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish….”

As I type the words, an image comes to mind – the blushing bride, a nervous groom. So excited about their future together. It’s everything she’s envisioned since she was a child. It’s everything he’s been warned about from “the guys” since he began dating. Yet here they are; getting ready for the big “C” …COMMITMENT! Ah yes, the one word that can make so many turn tail and run for their ever-loving, single lives!!

It’s a funny thought, but amazingly true. What is even more amazing to me is that God used this very analogy to bring home a very serious point recently – and it’s all about the “C” word.

So why the marriage vows? It’s the most present example we have to compare our commitment to Christ. There are many references to marriage in relation to our covenant with Christ in the Bible. When we receive His gift of salvation, we enter into a covenant where both parties are promising faithful commitment – marriage was the most logical way to bring these points to light.

Let’s revisit the vows from the beginning – to have and to hold. What does that really mean in practical terms? Definitions of the word hold include “to have a firm grasp on, to keep going, to continue.” Already, new revelation began to come from this thought of continuing. When we begin our commitment, it is with the understanding that it’s for keeps. Therefore, it makes total sense that the rest of the vows would continue to include the various ups and downs one might expect during a lifetime together – for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer…etc.

As I started to really meditate on those down times and how prevalent they are in many of my own prayers, I could feel myself growing very aware of His point in this lesson. We are often tempted to “opt out” of our covenant with God during these very times. When we can’t see the manifestation of the answers to our prayers, we can be tempted to forsake our own promise to remain faithful.

Because of our experiences with others in this fallen world, it’s easy to become jaded with the idea of faithfulness and commitment. The danger of this is that it can influence how we respond to God in our commitment to Him. We can’t see the end from the beginning and so when we grow weary in the waiting and our faith begins to weaken, we think we are forgotten.

In the midst of the darkness, the enemy begins to whisper ‘He has deserted you. He hasn’t heard your prayers. Neither does He consider your pain. If He had, surely you would be out of this by now. He hasn’t kept His part of the promise, so why should you? You were better off without Him.’ Sound familiar to anyone else? I feel despicable even typing the words. But, it’s time the devil was shamed in his place and exposed in the truth!

As God continued to reveal these truths, I cried out for forgiveness. But this revelation was not to bring condemnation – that is not in the nature of God toward His believers. Where He led me next in the word was proof. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.” Hebrews 10:35.

I could hear so clearly in my Spirit after reading those words “Don’t give up on me! I will never leave you, nor forsake you. I am faithful that has made the promise! I am One that can be trusted. I work all things together for your good. My plans are to prosper you, not to harm you…to bring you to an expected end. Trust Me! Don’t quit!”

I was reminded once again of what seemed to be a most unfortunate timing of Jesus’ arrival at the tomb of Lazarus. Mary and Martha were understandably upset. Why did He not return at once upon the news of their brother’s illness? He was beyond help now. He had been in the tomb so long that there was even a stench! How and why could He let this happen?! That desperate and seemingly hopeless moment turned into one of the greatest, undeniable, God-could-only-do-this miracles of the whole bible.

How long do we have to wait? How far do we have to go? Praise God that only He knows and that He will not allow us to go even one step beyond that point! Only believe. Believe that He is the good husband! Believe that He is the faithful one! Believe that this too, will one day be one of your greatest testimonies.

Trust God. Read His word and let Him remind you of His faithfulness. Just a few of the promises He makes to each of His children include love (Romans 8:38), healing (1 Peter 2:24), provision (Phil 4:19), eternal life (John 3:16), and protection (Isaiah 43:2). Even when we can’t understand what is happening in the moment, God does! We cannot allow the enemy to convince us otherwise.

If you keep holding on, you will find that He won’t let you down.

"hold" Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

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