Looove. (Part 3)

By now you're probably wondering why on earth I keep spelling love with three o's.  No, I do not have some weird fascination with that particular letter.  Love is spelled with three o's in the title of this cute little mini-series because of one very important truth: Ecclesiastes 4:12.

"And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."  A threefold cord consists of, you guessed it, three strong threads.  In a godly relationship, that threefold cord is incredibly important.  It means that there aren't just two people in your relationship.  There are, in fact, three.  And One of them is the Father.  Notice that the scripture says a threefold cord is not quickly broken; it doesn't say a threefold cord is never broken.  Sometimes in our relationships we allow other things to get in the way or to take precedence over the direction of the Father.  That is why it is important, even with allowing God in your relationship, to take the time to evaluate where your heart is.  Diligently seeking God and His face, both individually and together, strengthens the threefold cord which is ultimately your relationship.

In Ephesians 5, Paul gives a great illustration of what a healthy threefold cord is supposed to look like.  In essence, it is a direct reflection of Christ's marriage to His bride, the Church.  As Christ is the head of the Church and was willing to lay down His life out of love for His bride, a man should have the same heart towards his wife.  He should lead his household with a prayerful heart and an obedient spirit.  Men of God are called to be leaders.  If you are reading this and you are a male who desires a godly relationship, it is so important to dedicate yourself to following Christ to the best of your abilities.  If it is according to God's will, you will be blessed with a wife one day.  A wife who will look to you for spiritual leadership and godly decisions.  It's not your duty, but is instead your calling, to offer safety, protection, love, and guidance to your wife and eventual family.  Do not take this job lightly.  It is one that has been entrusted to you by the Creator Himself.  Much like the heart of your wife, the job of being the leader of your household is something you will have to spend time, tears, and prayer preparing for.  And it will be completely worth it.

As the Church submits to Christ and glorifies Him, a godly woman is called to submit to her husband.  This is why it is incredibly important for women of God to pray, pray, pray about their husbands.  The Bible says that a man is supposed to nourish and cherish his wife as he would his own body, just as Christ does for the Church.  If you are a woman of God seeking a husband, line up the qualities you desire in a husband with the qualities God has intended for godly men to attain.  As a young woman myself, I'm speaking sincerely when I say that I don't want to settle for less than what God desires for me.  If I'm going to willingly put myself in a position where I have to submit to someone for the rest of my life, I can guarantee you that I'm going to make sure that particular person is following my Savior.  Because how can I submit to a man and follow him if I don't know where he's taking me?  Therefore, it's incredibly important for women of God to be strong, virtuous, and submissive when God has blessed them with a good, godly man who does nourish, cherish, protect, and love them as God has intended.

Always remember that a husband or wife is a gift from God and should be treated as such.  Glorify Christ in your personal lives and in your relationships.  If you, for whatever reason, feel unworthy of the gift that God offers through a husband or a wife, it's time to have an old-fashioned talk with Jesus.  Remember that your past does not define you and that you hold the key to the choices you make today, to the person you allow God to mold you into.  If you're struggling with forgiving yourself or finding your worth and you need to talk to someone or just need prayer, please feel free to contact me.

Be patient; be strong.  God knows the desires of your heart.  He made your heart!  He knows what lies within it.  And He longs to bless His children according to His abundant riches.  If you are single now and struggle with loneliness, perhaps it's time to change perspective and consider that this time is purposed for spiritual growth.  If you aren't single, but recognize that your current relationship is not a reflection of Christ's marriage to the Church, you have to decide if you wish to change that.  If you do, perhaps it's time to seek God and His will.  If you're single and content, rock on!  There's single for a season and there's single for a reason.  You know who you are; God bless you for being obedient and allowing God to unfold His beautiful plan.

Regardless of your situation, remember that if you wait for a God-ordained relationship in which the Father is the leader, you will be blessed beyond measure.  What God unites for a lifetime is beautiful and lasting as long as He is allowed to not only be a part of it, but be the leading part of it.