The dictionary tells me this, the word Loyal is an adjective that has four meanings.
1. Faithful to one's sovereign, government or state.
2. Faithful to one's oath, commitment or obligation.
3. Faithful to any leader, party or cause, or to any person or thing conceived as deserving fidelity. and
4. Characterized by or showing faithfulness to commitments, vows, allegiance, obligation etc.
So have a subject, cause, conduct and vows. These are all part of being a loyal individual.
I currently have a friend, a mom of one of my son's best friends, who is going through a trial separation, but looks to be leaning toward divorce.
This has lead to some interesting conversations between my lad and I. He doesn't understand it, and our most recent conversation brought up this thought.
Marriage, christian marriage, is a sign of God's love to us.
When Christian people marry we are showing the world an example of how God loves his people.
Too often folks forget that and they think it doesn't matter if Christians divorce.
God loved us so much that he sent his son to die for us.
So when a husband and a wife set aside their own selves for each other, they are showing love for each other, and by extension they are showing God's love for us to the those around them.
Our loyalty and commitment to each other shows the world something.
It also shows our spouse something.
When my hubby sets aside his own stuff because of a need that I have, he's showing God's love for the world, for his people. He's also showing me the depth of his love for me.
When I set aside my own wishes and bow to his... I am showing him that I love him and that shows the world how the church loves God.
When we as Christians marry, we make a promise before God and before the church that we will love each other through good and bad. And marriages.... they are NOT always easy. They aren't. We are a fallen people living in a fallen world. It's not an easy thing.
It is SO hard to curb ourselves in favour of another.
But God did this eh? He sent his son to die for us.
He curbed his love, his need for his son, so that we might have a right relationship with him.
So our VOWS as Christians mean something.
We show God's love to the world as we work out our marriages.
So be loyal to your vows.
Be loyal to the one you are called to live with.
Be loyal to the higher calling of your marriage as a believer.
It's important. :)
Very good thoughts. It is so sad when Christian disregard those vows, forget that loyalty that they promised and that God shows. But you have done a lovely job of thinking through and stating clearly much about marriage, in spite of pain meds. Hope you are feeling better soon! - Lori
ReplyDeleteOh good, I was coherent then? Took me forever to write it as I kept falling asleep. :) sleeping is good
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