The Path You Are On is Not Going to End Well Love and Faithfulness

 

The Path You Are On is Not Going to End Well

Love and Faithfulness

There are a lot of reasons not to love and not be faithful

We can always find a good reason to let our anger turn to hate or injustice

We can let it be our excuse to be unfaithful

But if we fear the Lord, we will turn from evil

We will remain loving and faithful

This is the recipe for ending well  

  Love and Faithfulness

 

In just a month from writing this devotional,

 Sandy and I will celebrate 51 years of marriage.

 

Somewhere around our 40^th anniversary

I started to pay attention to married couples

who have been married for decades.

 

We live in a world where many

marriages do not end well.

 

It is not just the hurt and bitterness

a couple have for each other but…

 

 A struggle through life after divorce.

 

Many struggle from financial burdens

for the rest of their lives

from the cost of separating.

 

Also struggles of parenting

when the house is divided.

 

My parents were divorced

when I was in the first grade.

 

Sandy’s parents were divorced

when she was about 2 years old.

 

Both of our parents were what

we would call good people.

 

We loved our moms and dads very deeply…

 

But we saw them struggle

all the days of their lives.

 

Living alone, marrying again

and then blending of families.

 

Lives I would not wish on anyone.

 

Sandy and I also suffered and our siblings.

 

I was a late bloomer because my parents

were too busy trying to surive

without their marriage partner.

 

I have loved the time at a wedding reception

where an announcer takes the microphone

and ask how many have been married for…

 

 10 years, than 20 years, then 30 years, etc.

 

At this time I am hoping Sandy and I

will be the last one standing when no one

else has been married longer than us.

 

So far we have not been at a wedding where

we have been married longer than everyone else.

 

As much as I want Sandy and I to get the recognition,

 I am happy seeing other couples who have

celebrated more anniversaries than us.

 

Sandy and I have lots of friends

who have more anniversaries than us.

 

Even though some of them have

a spouse who has dementia,

or some other physical impairment

that limits the freedom of life.

So, when I see couples married for decades…

 

 I take note.

 

Surely these couples can’t be perfect people.

 

There is no way I could count the mistakes

I have made over the last 51 years of marriage.

 

Mistakes that hurt Sandy and

mistakes that made our lives hard.

 

There are so many reasons

in every marriage to not end well.

 

So what is it that makes these

life-long marriages end well?

 

I think the answer is found in Proverbs 16:6…

 

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;

through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.

 

Love and Faithfulness

 

A lot of sin takes place in every marriage…

 

A lot of mistakes.

 

A lot of problems.

 

A lot of hardships.

 

And like rubbing an ointment of Bengay on joints…

 

 Love and faithfulness cover the pains of life.

 

It is love and faithfulness

that brings a couple to the wedding altar.

 

When love and faithfulness start to dry up

or run out, the pains of sins don’t go away.

 

For those who have been married

for 40, 50, even 60 years…

 

 There is one thing for sure

they have love and faithfulness.

 

No marriage can end well

without love and faithfulness.

 

No life can end well

without love and faithfulness.

 

Love and faithfulness are not something you

can get when a mistake is made.

 

Love and faithfulness needs to be a track record.

 

If you are a person who

expresses love and faithfulness…

 

 Others will find it easier to forgive you

when you make a mistake.

 

If you have not been a person who lives

a life of love and faithfulness…

 

 Don’t expect people to forgive you

because you say you will change.

 

Love and faithfulness needs to be our daily diet

to find our path in life, to end well.

 

One of the greatest ways to keep love and faithfulness

in our lives is to fear the Lord.

 

There are a lot of reasons not to love and not be faithful.

 

We can always find a good reason

to let our anger turn to hate or injustice…

 

And be our excuse to be unfaithful.

 

But if we fear the Lord

we will turn from evil.

 

We will remain loving and faithful.

 

This is the recipe for ending well.   

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Proverbs 16:6 NIV

 

6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;

through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.