Commitment
Now Think On This
Steve Martin
“Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't. The heart regulates the hands.” (2 Corinthians 8:12-13, THE MESSAGE)
Normally you don’t celebrate your 40th marriage anniversary of covenant love by writing a blog post to speak of commitment. You save that for later as you speak words of cherished days, happy memories, and the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus for your good wife or husband, as the case may appropriately be. That is right and great to do!
But I want to take this very special occasion, on my good wife Laurie and my 40th wedding anniversary this October 8, 2017, to write on that very appropriate word for such a time as this – commitment.
I believe the Lord uses people as examples. His heart is to show His committed love, grace, mercy, faithfulness, long-suffering (!) and so much more through His people. He above all is the perfect example that we must follow after, and demonstrates that through His creation!
In these days of the “anything goes” attitude, which has now become so prevalent in our American culture, and elsewhere around the world, which people have so gravely mistaken to believe, and which will prove to their own hurt - that giving one’s word and standing on it; holding fast to something that will cost you to stick to it; and living a life laid down for others and not just for yourself - are “old school” and can be cast aside.
“That was for then. This is now. We must live in an enlightened era of freedom with no restraints.” Or so many would proclaim and take to the streets to demonstrate.
Well I am here to say, “Not true!”
Without giving multitudes and multitudes of Scripture, which have stood the onslaught of lies, destruction, slashing of teeth over and utter falsehoods spoken by the proud ignorant and vastly deceived, I want to once again proclaim the eternal truths that need to be spoken loud and clear.
1. Marriage is between a man and a woman. You can’t produce the next generation naturally any other way. That should be obvious to anyone and all.
2. Sex is for the committed marriage bed. Anything outside of committed love will bring sickness and the clear results that sin produces.
3. When you stand at the altar of marriage, you eliminate the “D” word from your vocabulary. I spoke to my good wife 40 years ago within that week of our commitment to each other that divorce would never be an option. By the Lord’s grace and mercy we have fulfilled that promised word to each other.
4. It takes a real man and a real woman to make a promise to one another and then stick to it, come heaven or hell. A promise is to be a promise, not a “we shall see whatever will be will be” watered down attitude; nor just as “long as were are in love.”
5. If you commit to do something, do it. If you give your word, then keep your word.
6. The weather isn’t always to your best liking. Neither are you to one another moment of the day. But tomorrow will still come, so get through it and make it work.
7. I am not perfect. You are not perfect. But the Lord is, and He will prove Himself faithful to keep us together for His plans and purposes to be fulfilled in our lives. He is the reason He created you and I.
For His good pleasure, and to share it with us and all who believe.
8. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Put them on anything or anyone else and you will sink. That is Gospel truth.
I could give a hundred more, but eight reasons for holding solid onto commitment is a good number to finish with. After all, 5 x 8 = 40, which by the Lord’s numbers means much “grace” (5) and “new beginnings” (8) to get to 40, which is “tried and true”. He has tried us, and He has proven Himself TRUE!
Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc.
P.S. I want to give special thanks to my Dad (Louis J. Martin, who is living in glory with His Lord and Savior), my Mom (Lila Martin Parker); Laurie's parents Otto and Lorraine Unzicker, also dancing on the streets of gold; our children Josh, Ben, Hannah, Christien and their families; and all of our extended family (especially Bob and Mary Smith of Charleston, SC (one of my five sisters) and Laurie's sister Linda and Dick Skaggs!); and the dear, good friends whom have been there along the way these 40 years of life thus far. We love you dearly!!!
And to you Kevin Grafton, my Best Man and my best friend to this day! (Photo below...)
The Martin Family - June 2017
 |
Kevin Grafton and Steve Martin - my Best Man and still best friend.
Photo from sometime in the past years. Maybe two decades. He would probably still beat me in tennis... |
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Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 10.08.17 - #322 – “Commitment”
Sunday 8:08 am
