https://www.youtube.com/watch?
I Speak Jesus ~ Passion
When the sun had gone down and a [thick] darkness had come on, behold, a smoking oven and a flaming torch passed between those pieces. ~ Genesis 15:17 AMPC
My dad’s parents were married for over 60 years and my mom’s parents were married for over 50 years before either of the grandmothers passed away. Not many marriages last that long. Why? Did “their generation” do it better? No. It’s not about their age, as people from their generation have also gotten divorced. The difference-maker is God.
Alistair Begg, pastor and voice behind the Truth for Life radio program, taught in his sermon series, “I Take You,” that taking seriously your covenant promise is the platform upon which your marriage will stand, because it’s a promise with God. He briefly shared the purpose and weight of the covenant, as described in Genesis 15:9-19. He said the purpose behind cutting the animals in half, setting them apart, and having all parties walk between the pieces is to show what will happen if you break the vows:
“May I be torn in half if I don’t
fulfill my covenantal obligation to you. That’s why the Hebrew doesn’t speak
about making a covenant. It speaks about cutting a covenant,” (https://www.truthforlife.org/
In Genesis 15, we see that God made this vow with Abram. God put His own reputation on the line knowing that He would never—could never—break this covenant.
Cutting a covenant sounds bleak and dark, not light and happy. But cutting a covenant—standing on your vows, fulfilling your promises—is serious business. While some seasons in life and marriage are easier and more joyful, others are hard and painful. When push comes to shove and life is hard and harder still, on what will your marriage stand? It won’t be the 200+ likes of your wedding pictures, or the memories of the honeymoon. It’ll stand on the covenant promise and the vows you made.
If your marriage is in a light and happy season, I am glad for you! But if you find yourself in a battle for your marriage, just remember to keep standing. God never promised that life would be easy, but He promised to be with us.
When the day is long and the battle is hard,
Keep standing.
When the fight is painful and your energy’s depleted,
Keep standing.
When you’ve spent everything and there’s nothing left,
Keep standing.
Keep standing!
Keep standing!
Keep standing!
I don’t know how things will look when the dust settles, but I do know the God who promised to be faithful. Keep standing on God’s promises, on the covenant, and on the vows you made and see how God will move.
Keep standing.
©Heather Potts 2022
No comments:
Post a Comment