Eighth
annual JOY DAY
July 28, 2000
MARRIAGE Is a most precious
PEARL
That brings great
JOY
To all who are near
PEARLS OF JOY
Pray for your own
marriages, pray for the marriages of your children, pray for the marriages
of your friends and neighbors.
May God bless you with
this "pearl of great value" in your lives.
PEARL: 1 A smooth,
lustrous, variously colored deposit formed around a grain of sand in the
shell of certain oysters – valued as a precious gem. 2 A person or
object likened to a pearl in beauty or value.
Pearls are mentioned
often in the New Testament. The pearl was treasured by ancient people to
be among the most precious of gems.
The kingdom of heaven is
compared to a "pearl of great price". Pearls are used
metaphorically for something of value.
A Godly marriage is a
"pearl of great value" and is a source of joy to all.
A good recipe for this
"pearl of great joy" is Galatians 5:22-23 "The fruit of the
spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self control: against such things there is no law."
Celebrate this day of
love with your husband (or wife) in a joyful way. It is not especially a
day of gift giving. It is a day for the two of you. It is a day to
remember the good times with your loved one. It is a day to remember the
obstacles overcome. It is a day for the two of you to be grateful for
prayers answered. It is a day to plan and look to the future. JOY to you.
The following are some
stories of the JOY of Godly marriages. Read them, take inspiration, and
pray for these people.
We pray that you will have
"the pearl of great value" in your life.
With all our love,
Richard and l met
in Indiana and grew in love over a 4 year period. I was a Christian, he
was not. When he asked me to a Sunday family outing I said I attended
church every Sunday and that would be where I would be. Did he want to go
with me? To my surprise he came Sunday morning ready to go.
After high school we were married and lived in a rented house trailer, We
earned $55 a week. It was great for a while then the our differences
showed up. We loved each other and were committed to our marriage so we
turned to God. God showed us the need for each of us to change and God
helped us do that.
I believe a husband is to lead in family
matters. That does not mean that the wife can't have input but the final
decisions rests with the husband. God honors that. We have always tried to
let each other have their space to grow and expand their interests.
We lift each other up in prayer daily
and for special needs. We are always honest with each other and meet
whatever the other needs. If he needs help working on the car, I do that,
and if I need help cleaning the bathroom he does it. We guard our time
with each other and nourish our relationship every day. Little things like
e-mail, notes tucked here and there and a call to just say I'm thinking of
you or missing you goes far when he has to stay late at work.
Encourage each other to find the place
of service God has for them and help them to have the time to do it. These
things work for us but God is the one who makes it work. He is the glue
that holds things together when you don't feel like working at it. Yes, it
is work, but, oh what fun you can have.
On May 24 we have been married 35 years.
Annette & Richard Elkins, Houston, Texas
My
husband and I were new believers when we first married 20 years ago. I
didn't realize that even Christian marriages could go through some pretty
rocky times. We were newly married when we entered a valley that lasted 9
years. It was a painful and lonely time in my life.
But through it all, I kept my focus on
Jesus Christ. because I kept my focus on Christ, He gave me the strength
to stay committed to my marriage and to honor the vow I made before my
husband and God in June of 1980. "I take Michael to be my husband . .
. till death do us part." I believe that because I remained faithful
to God and obedient to His Word (I Corinthians 7:27: Are you bound to a
wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not
seek a wife.") He remained faithful to me. In time God blessed our
marriage into a strong, healthy, happy one. Our marriage has been a source
of joy, peace, and satisfaction, not only to my husband and I, but to our
children as well.
Praise God for His loving kindness!
Karen & Michael Ruse
The Woodlands, Texas
