Weep with those who Weep

Weep with those who weep? I find it interesting that Jesus calls those who follow Him to enter into the emotions of others. Rejoice with those who do rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15, kjv). Unlike many other deities that are worshiped, the Almighty God is personable and those who honor and obey Him are deeply touched with concerns of others and not just themselves.

To know that God has an emotional side is such a relief to me. I cannot imagine serving a God who has all power but remained untouchable and uncaring about me. As I read the Bible, I notice that in many instances, there are references to our five senses: touch, sight, smell, hearing and taste. Our whole neurologic system is made of motor and sensory functions. God designed us to experience life and really FEEL!

Entering into the sorrows and joys of others makes us more like God, who entered into our human-ness to know us and to love us.

At the tomb just after the resurrection, Mary hears the voice of her Lord calling her name. When Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus invites Thomas to touch the place where the nails in His hands had been. During this time, Jesus also ate and tasted a meal with His followers. In the Old Testament, can you imagine the smells of a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord? As He ascended, many saw Him and believed. God used the senses and emotion of our "human-ness" to meet us where we were. He also wants us to understand and apply the same thing with others around us.

Yes, knowing God is a spiritual thing, but it is also a physical thing. You can know God on every level and in every way. Taste and see that He is good (Psalms 34:8, kjv), then share Him with others!

Prayer: Lord, I want to know you and to be able to enter into the emotions of others so that I can share Your goodness with them.

Action: Ask the Lord to make you more aware of what those around you are experiencing and how you can point them to HIm.

Three Purposes for Marriage

A wise author wrote "What if the purpose of marriage was not to make you happy, but to make you holy?".

Scores of people marry out of pure selfishness. They want someone to love them. They want a beautiful wedding, children and well....happiness. Most people will tell you that those are not bad goals, but are they God's goals? Why did God invent marriage in the first place? Was it for our happiness, our growth, His glory? I would venture to say that the answer to all of those is "Yes"!

Our Happiness
The Song of Solomon hints to the happy parts of marriage. A man is to rejoice with the wife of his youth. (Proverbs 5:18, kjv) Sounds happy to me. The word happy also means "blessed" in Hebrew. Marriage is a holy union that makes the Lord happy. Our holiness is His happiness. Our happiness in marriage makes God smile :)

Our Calling
Marriage changes a person. It is a call from the Lord that some will answer and others will not. The Apostle Paul declared that he believed that singleness was an easier road, but in 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 he also encourages men and women to remain in their "calling". If you are married, stay that way. If you are single you are best in that state unless you cannot contain. Get married.

Not everyone is called to marriage, but most people are.

His Glory
Marriage is a picture of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:22-28, kjv). When we get married and stay married, we get to reflect a spiritual concept in a physical, human way. God is pleased when a man finds a good thing because He has already let us know that it is not good that man should be alone. Something about that is incomplete and does not fully glorify God. Marriage does!

Prayer: Lord, make me content in the state that I am currently in. Help me to fulfill my purpose and bring glory to You in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Action: Read all of Ephesians 5 and highlight the verse that pertain to you in your current state.