Today, my husband and I celebrate twenty-one years of marriage. It just so happened, earlier this week, while cleaning and reorganizing my office, I came across the box with our engagement pictures. Wow, have we changed. But the changes are much deeper than the character lines, or the acquisition of some eyewear. Our love is stronger, and our trust in each other is much deeper, and I'm certain our commitment to each other is unshakeable. And as icing on the cake, we have three beautiful children to share our lives with. Honestly, I am overwhelmed by the grace and blessings of God.
As I sat considering all these blessings, I began to think– I've been in a relationship with Jesus for years. So I asked myself these questions.
- Has my love for Him grown stronger?
- Is my trust in Him deeper?
- Is my commitment more solid now?
- Do I have "children", others I've helped discover their own relationship with Him?
- Am I overwhelmed by the blessings of my relationship with Christ?
Compared to when I was seven and first met Jesus, of course the answers are all yes. But compared to five years ago or last year or last summer, I'm not so certain. Just like my marriage, I can look back and identify seasons of tremendous growth, but I can also point to periods of stagnation, too. Maybe you can identify similar trends in your relationship with Christ.
But here's the thing. That's all on my end. His love for me is eternal. It has never wavered or waned. He declares it in Jeremiah 31:3 "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."
Take a moment and let that sink in. Everlasting. Faithfulness. To us. Wow.
P.S. Jon has done more to help me grow in my relationship with Christ than anyone else. Just another reason I am so glad to be celebrating with him.
Lauren says
Well, first off, congratulations on 21 wonderful years. Second off, how clever to bring it around to your spiritual journey–because they do have clear parallels. I think those are excellent points to explore when evaluating my own spiritual journey, so I’ll have to use those sometime. Great post and happy anniversary!