Cornerstone

Ephesians 5:25-27 (25)

 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

The Saturday Evening Post published an article entitled “The Seven Ages of the Married Cold.” It revealed the reaction of a husband to his wife’s colds during their first seven years of marriage.

Year one: “Sugar dumpling, I’m really worried about my baby girl. …. I’m putting you in the hospital this afternoon for a general checkup and a good rest….  

Year two: “Listen, darling, I don’t like the sound of that cough. I called Doc Miller and asked him to rush over here. ..

Year three: “Maybe you’d better lie down, honey: nothing like a little rest when you feel lousy. …

Year four: “Now look, dear, be sensible. After you’ve fed the kids, washed the dishes and finished the floor, you’d better lie down.”…

Year five: “Why don’t you take a couple of aspirin?”…

Year six: “I wish you’d just gargle, instead of sitting around all evening barking like a seal!”…

Year seven: “Stop sneezing! Are you trying to give me pneumonia?”…

How is loving your spouse connected to being holy?  Jesus lamented that the Ephesians had left their first love.  As a marital relationship can become cool so a relationship with Jesus Christ can become lukewarm.  It is essential that we give attention to kindling the fires of romantic love in our marriages and also in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Psalm 116:12-19 (17)

We had just been given a fairly late model car. Actually I bought it. I was told that if I wanted the car I should add a dollar a month to my missionary giving that year.

I was overwhelmed. After driving a junker the thought of driving something respectable was delectable. After driving a moving repair bill the thought of having a reliable vehicle was enough to make me delirious. I was grateful but as I listened to the man’s story I began to understand what real gratitude meant.

He was grateful for God’s mercy and protection. He had been shot down over Germany during World War II. He survived the plan crash and walked out of the country under the cover of night. He sobbed as he relived the terror, suspense and anxiety. He was a Lutheran by up-bringing. Years later he found our church and during an invitation came and knelt on top of the altar. Our evangelical ways were foreign to him and yet he knew that God had spoken and he owed God all. Now God had spoken again. God told him to give his pastor a car. In gratitude for what God had done for him he knew that giving many cars would never repay his debt of love.

The Psalmist said the he would live for God, pay his vows and even die for God. Giving all as a sacrifice of thanksgiving seems as nothing in comparison to His great gift.

Dr. Gayle Woods