"Slave"

Dave and I started the 1st chapter of JMacs new book "Slave". I look forward to digging in and reaping gold! Here are 2 particular paragraphs that stood out to me...

In addition to the name Christian, the Bible uses a host of other terms to identify the followers of Jesus. Scripture describes us as aliens and strangers of God, citizens of heaven, and lights to the world. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, members of His body, sheep in His flock, ambassadors in His services, and friends around His table. We are called to compete like athletes, to fight like soldiers, to abide like branches in a vine, and even to desire His Word as newborn babies long for milk... Yet, the Bible uses one metaphor more frequently than any of these...It is the image of a slave. Time and time again througout the pages of Scripture, believers are referred to as slaves of God and slaves of Christ. 

Listen to the words of Charles Spurgeon--- "Where our Authorized King James Version softly puts it as "servant" it really is "bond-slave". The early saints delighted to count themselves Christ's absolute property, bought by him, owned by him, and wholly at his disposal. Paul even went so far as to rejoicde that he has the marks of his Master's brand on him, and he cries, 'Let no man trouble me; for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.' There was the end of all debate; he was the Lord's, and the marks of the scourges, the rods, and the stones were the broad-arrow of the King which marked Pauls' body as the property of Jesus the Lord. Now if the saints of old time glories in obeying Christ, I pray that you and I...may feel that our first object in life is to obey our Lord."

What a perfect ending to a date night. Dave and I have really had to fight for time this semester, and we are beyond thankful that we both have Tuesday after 5:30pm that we can set apart for each other and invest in our marriage. We celebrated our 10 month with me getting my wisdom teeth removed (which went super smoothly and healed very well) haha Pretty lame but it was good time to reflect on our marriage...

I have been really convicted lately that I lack a spirit of meekness...to die to my own rights just as Jesus did when he washed the disciples' feet in the Upper Room as a King serving the servants, in the Garden as he was arrested in secret without reason but without defense, on the cross as he was crucified unjustly, treated cruely, and responded only in prayer and love. I am so quick to defend myself, to lash out, to demand my rights rather than cover it with love and demonstrate Christ in those moments.

House Hunting!

Well...we are officially embarking on the real life married adult world now as we are beginning the hunt for houses and asking ourselves questions like...

Is this big enough to grow into as a family?     Is the backyard fenced in for the doggies and kiddos?      If I become a stay at home mom, can we afford this on only Dave's income?     How much are property taxes?      Is that living room big enough to host our small group in?

So many things to consider!

And we are counting down until I graduate! This semester is over in 7 weeks and I could not be more ready. I have started thinking about where I would like to work as an official Social Worker. I have a huge soft spot for the elderly and my internship last semester at Good Samaritan on Pathways was a perfect match for me. I have started praying that God would place me exactly where He will use me the best.

Dave was promoted [again] and I am so thankful for a hard-working husband! He does a great job at work and I love seeing him rewarded.

A few weeks ago we went with Faith Bible to the Couples Advance and it was a very great time of remembering those Truths we heard during premarital and searching scripture to remind ourselves of the high role God has given us to play as husband and wife. It is a calling to deny ourselves, to think of each other as more important, to be full of grace and love. We both have so much to grow in! I am so thankful for older couples in our Church who are such a wonderful testimony to us and how God has worked in their marriages.  Before I was saved I had such a skewed image of marriage [and so did Dave]. It goes to show that apart from Biblical Truth lived out, good things are twisted and manipulated by the world.

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19