Husband and Wife, Love God, Then Love Each Other

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 5:3

The downpour is letting up as I sit observing the display. Lightning and thunder still let their presence be known in the distance. Street lights is the only illumination I can see from my front porch. Rivers of last remaining rain flow from the top of my house. I enjoy the cool of the night. I struggle everyday to find this peaceful feeling that I now feel after the rain in her arms.
In the worry and fast pace of the days, we as a couple don't even seem to find the time to enjoy the quiet moments. Life's demands seem to eat away at our time.Constraints leads to stress. Stress leads to anger. Anger leads to hateful and hurtful words. When we get in such a rush and don't pray these feelings boil over burning everything it touches.

C.S. Lewis talks, in his book The Four Loves, about couples forgetting God in those moments and what it lead to. He referred to the couple's Love without God turning into something that is like,"mecilessly chaining together two mutual tormentors, each raw all over with the poison of hate-in-love, each ravenous to receive and implacably refusing to give, jealous, suspicious, resentful' struggling for the upper hand, determined to be free and allow no freedom, living on in "scenes." The lovers old hyperbole of "eating" each other can come horribly near to the truth."

This paints a vivid picture of the death throws of a marriage when we take our eyes off God as the center of it. When we take our eyes away from Him, the true source of love, we can't love ourselves or others. Self loathing ensues, manifesting itself by finding fault with all around around us, while pining away about our own. Spouses argue with each other over the situation, instead of looking at the one your going through it with; I mean truly looking at it with God's eyes of love.

They say that we all have a soul mate, and that the eyes are the windows to the soul. I say God matches us up pretty good with our mate, if we seek Him first. And to truly look into her eyes through His love brings me peace. So I guess those sayings are true. God's interpertion of love is different than mine and yours. I have slowly come to a realization of that fact.

C.S. Lewis talks of many kinds of loves in his book. But all these loves only come true and are of pure nature, when they are built upon the love God gives. This is the love upon which all others rest. When God is at the center of your marriage, nothing on Earth can break those bonds sworn before Him.

When the years have ravaged you and your spouse,then one day you look at each other, and if your eyes are open, you may come to a realization. His book puts it in these simple terms,"suppose you are fortunate enough to have "fallen in love with" and married your best Friend.

I like that thought.

I like it alot.
by
Lance Gargus

The Hem of His Garment

What's so special about the hem of Jesus' robe in the first place?", I asked myself. One believer at work lead me in the direction of a another hidden truth. We conversed about this story in

Matthew 9:20-21

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

She explained to me that she had pondered this question in her heart. Why not his heel or back or anything else? Why the hem? There is always something symbolic in every story. Something to discover and understand the deeper meaning of. The answer came to her, and she said she felt like shouting for joy from the response. As she drove on her way home, a voice whispered, "Because the hem made the garment whole just as I am whole. " The look on her face as she told the story was truly amazing.

The hem completed the garment, just as Christ had completed God's plan.


Looking further I found more truth. In the Jewish tradition, the males wore a prayer shawl, called a talit. Attached to the talit is tassels. The English word hem is a translation of a Greek word meaning a tassel of twisted wool. In Hebrew, these tassels, which are attached to the corners of the prayer shawl, are called tzitzit. In Deuteronomy 22:12 and Numbers 15:37-41 God lays out the biblical command to wear these tzitzits to remind the people of His commandments. So this is what she touched but there is more hidden truth here.

These tassels are also called the border, edge, corner or fringe. In Numbers 15:38 the word translated border is a Hebrew word which can also be translated wings as it is some seventy-six times in the biblical text. Because of this, the corners of the prayer shawl are often called wings.

During the first century there were several traditions associated with the tzitzit concerning Messiah. One was that these knotted fringes possessed healing powers. This tradition has its roots in the prophecy of Malachi 4:2 where the Messiah is said to be coming with healing in His wings.

Certainly the woman with the issue of blood knew of these traditions, which would explain why she sought to touch the corner (the wings) of Jesus' prayer garment. It also becomes clear why this woman was instantly healed. She was expressing her faith in Jesus as the Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings and declaring her faith in God's prophetic Word.

And still another truth is found in how the tzitzit was made. As the maker tied the knots, it was made in such a way that it had the names of God in it. Each twist and turn of the strands was significant in representing God's name being formed into the tzitzit. So when the woman touched the "hem" of Jesus garment she actually touched the very names of God!

Awesome isn't it to know how our understanding of God is ongoing. As I try to understand more of who God is, I'm drawn into an ever deeper meaning of the word-truth.

"Where I found truth, there found I my God, who is the truth itself." Augustine

by

Lance Gargus

Burden

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.
Author: Dickens, Charles

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

For every man shall bear his own burden.

Galatians 6:5

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:30

To be able to give hope,

To be able to inspire,

To be able to offer challenge...

To the lost and confused.

The way must be shown.

But how can we lift someone else's burden,

If we can't carry our own?

by

James Gargus

This is another one of my father's poems. The words reveal hidden things written for me. Truth floods my mind as the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart revealing God's word.

God promised he would help us carry our burden not do it for us. While I'm trying to help another with their load, I'm falling underneath the weight of my own. All the while refusing to just ask God for help.

My earthly father's words ring true to me about my Heavenly Father. I'm no use to another believer if I'm bogged down.

It reminds me of my son. He tried so hard to pick up this 40lb dumbbell that I had in my weight room. He struggled and grunted with all his might. He looked at me and cried,"Dad, help!" In time, when he's more mature he will be able to pick it up on his own. My assistance builds the confidence and reassurance that one day he would be able to lift it.

The day will come when we will be like the Father. Transformed into sons of light and able to do things we can't even imagine. But in our Christian youth in this life, we have to learn who that strength comes from. My son's strength is inherited from me, and I from my father. It all goes back to the main source, the One from whom all strength comes.

Once those burdens are lifted, I have free hands to help another lift his load up. And all I needed to have done is trust. Trust like my son did. Him knowing I would help him lift that weight just because he asked.

It just goes to show how blind I can be to a truth. A hidden message that is so simple my three year old helped me see it. So my soul searching continues to find more hidden truths God has in store for me.

by

Lance GargusBooks:Christianity,Bible,Jesus,Angels,Soul,God,Holy Spirit,Doves,Love,Children,Heaven,Soul Searching,Counseling

He's In Better Hands Now

As I drop the oxygen mask from my hand,I comment,"He's in better hands now. He's safe from this moment on."

I watch the shadows of the night flee from the skyline. He reaches for the Hands one last time. The rays shine through the clouds as his soul is flying home. He had no doubt he was in better hands now. Times came when he would stand in awe at the mountains God moved. Yesterday was now gone for him. It felt like the breath of Jesus was right there in that room.


Remembering that moment seems like a lifetime ago to me. My life at present fills like I stand on shifting sand. I struggle to get my balance. My light has been darkened by the shadows of the night. I constantly reach for help. Through prayer I seek Him. My faith seems to run out. My prayer seems to go up and slap me back in the face. The night sun sets in my life and I feel fear. The silence is all around me.

Where else can go in these moments? Who has ever understood when no one else could? When words elude me? When prayers escape me? I sit still and know that he is God. I can't do anything else. I can't bring anymore. I've used up all my resources. I have nothing left. I surrender myself to better hands than mine.

by

Lance Gargus
Books:Christianity,Bible,Jesus,Angels,Soul,God,Holy Spirit,Doves,Love,Children,Heaven,Soul Searching,Counseling