Luke and the Lost

SOOO many books, seminars, radio and tv talk shows, columns, and videos have been written and produced about how to have a good marriage. “Marriage should be our top priority!”, Christian and non Christian writers shout out. It has been promoted as the most important focus in our married lives to keep our mate happy, satisfied, cherished, flowing with gifts, flowers, cards and other acts of love, mainly so retail can profit from the hype. Is our marriage sacred? Or is God sacred in our marriage? Let’s take a closer look…before you think I am a very cynical unromantic.

The Sadducees come up to Jesus to pose an unusual question about marriage. They bring up the customs in Moses day about widows and marriage protection for the widow to pose this deep question of “whose wife is she at resurrection?” What is “sad-you-see” is that the Sadducees do not even believe in the resurrection of the dead, so why the question?

Jesus, because He is God, answers (again) in a way that cannot be questioned. As is characteristic of Jesus, He answers so those within hearing can learn and understand that all is about God, the Father. It’s not about us, it’s about intimacies with God. Always. God. First.

Luke 20, The Message
All Intimacies Will Be with God
27-33 Some Sadducees came up. This is the Jewish party that denies any possibility of resurrection. They asked, “Teacher, Moses wrote us that if a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother is obligated to take the widow to wife and get her with child. Well, there once were seven brothers. The first took a wife. He died childless. The second married her and died, then the third, and eventually all seven had their turn, but no child. After all that, the wife died. That wife, now—in the resurrection whose wife is she? All seven married her.”

34-38 Jesus said, “Marriage is a major preoccupation here, but not there. Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage nor, of course, with death. They will have better things to think about, if you can believe it. All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. Even Moses exclaimed about resurrection at the burning bush, saying, ‘God: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob!’ God isn’t the God of dead men, but of the living. To him all are alive.”

39-40 Some of the religion scholars said, “Teacher, that’s a great answer!” For a while, anyway, no one dared put questions to him.

“Better things to think about”…wow. The focus is turned back to God.

Marriage is our decision to make regarding the mate we prayerfully choose, guided by the Holy Spirit for those of us who believe in God. Guided by worldview, most marry for other reasons. When both individuals are faith filled with God-first attitudes, the marriage will probably last. As individuals, they are secure in God first. They do not rely or depend on the other’s abilities to save them, rescue them, and sustain them for all that comes from God.

If both believe that Jesus is their Savior and not each other, that makes for an unbreakable bond between God and the two who “became one in Holy matrimony”. God, through Jesus, should be living in each individual before marriage. This is the foundation for all marriages that last a lifetime on this earth. It’s not about the cards, flowers, and gifts at the appropriate times the world tells us to purchase them, it’s about God. First. Intimacy with God first, brings a level of intimacy with our mates that is beyond what human intimacies can muster. In other words, the more I love God, the more I love my husband. God. First.

Dear Heavenly Father, You are God and we are not. We are learning more about You as we read Your thoughts on marriage today. We love You because YOU first loved us. We love each other because You first loved us. Thank you for this intimacy we share now and the hope of great intimacies to come with You! I love you with all my heart, mind, body and soul now, what will our love be then? I can only imagine as the song goes. Thank you for the love of each other here on earth. Continue to be with us…
In Jesus Name, Amen

And I’m singing…
I can only imagine what it will be like
When I walk by your side
I can only imagine what my eyes will see
When your face is before me
I can only imagine

Yeah

Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel
Will I dance for your Jesus
Or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah
Will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
I can only imagine

I can only imagine when that day comes
And I find myself standing in the Son
I can only imagine when all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you
I can only imagine, yeah
I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel
Will I dance for your Jesus
Or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah
Will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
Yeah
I can only imagine

Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel
Will I dance for your Jesus
Or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah
Will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
Yeah
I can only imagine

I can only imagine