Tag: spirit

I thought marriage was suppose to be permanent

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

I was discussing this idea of marriage being a permanent commitment the other day when I had a thought. Ephesians 5:21-33 came to mind.

In this passage, we find instructions to husbands and wives what it takes for a marriage to work. The key appears to be found in the word “submit.” Verse 21 kicks off this passage with the command to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Bottom line: It takes both people submitting to each other and to God.

I’ll bet you’re thinking that there is no way I am going to bow down and submit to anyone. But please hear me out. Also, please read the passage for yourself in its entirety.

Back to this word, submit. Most people, especially men, are very familiar with verses 22 and 23, where wives are told to submit to their husbands, and the husband is the head of the wife. But, men, did you actually read all of those two verses? Wives are told to submit to their husbands as to the Lord. And that the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church.

Now, a little further on, we see what all this really means. Guys, are you truly willing to love your wife as Christ loved the church? Are you willing to give up your life for her? You see, gentleman, you need to give your wife a reason to trust you enough that she will feel safe submitting to you.

Wives, can I ask, are you respecting your husband? Do you behave in a way that helps them to trust you so much that they are encouraged and willing to love you as Christ loved the church? Do you encourage him? Do you pray for him?

So we are back to this idea of submitting to each other. What exactly does this mean? Well, I’m glad you asked, because I have a few ideas. Pray for each other, and pray with each other. Communicate. This means talking to each other. Work together to come to solutions to problems. Be faithful. Lift each other up. Look for opportunities to show love. Encourage each other. Make your home a safe and loving environment.

Submitting to each other does NOT mean accepting abusive behaviors. Abuse, of any kind, should never be tolerated or accepted. The same goes for unfaithfulness. These are unacceptable behaviors. They have no place in any relationship. And they definitely have no place among God’s people. Nowhere in scripture do I find a command to remain in such situations.

Finally, in verse 33, we read that each man must LOVE his wife, and the wife must respect her husband. So give each other a reason to love and respect each other.

Bottom line: It takes both people submitting to each other and to God.

How does your garden grow?

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, NLTse)
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control. (Galations 5:22-23, NLT)

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In March, I moved into a second floor apartment that has a southern facing balcony. I decided it was the perfect time to try my hand at container gardening. I went out and bought a seed starting kit that contained seeds for cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and lettuce. In April I started the seeds indoors, and it took until almost June before they were ready to be put outside. Now at this point, for those who don’t know me well, I should probably point out that God has not blessed me with an abundance of patience (hereafter referred to as “that p word”).

My lettuce never did develop into heads, although, according to the package it was suppose to be a head variety.  I finally harvested the leaves a few weeks ago and have given up on growing more lettuce this year.

One of my cucumber plants has finally produced about six or seven cucumbers over the last several weeks. The other one has given me one or two, with little sign of continuing. But I am working on being that “p” word. I do see a few beginning cucumbers, so I’m praying that at least one of them will continue.

My pepper plants are finally producing peppers that I think I will be able to start harvesting in the next few days. And it appears that they will be producing for a while longer.

And my two beefsteak tomato plants? Well, so far each plant has one small green tomato. But they also have a lot more blossoms, so I am hopeful of more to come.

In mid to late May, I also decided to try to grow jalapeno peppers and cherry tomatoes. Again, I started from seeds. They actually seem to have grown and begin producing a little bit faster. I put the cherry tomato plant into a hanging planter that grows upside down and put the jalapeno plants into regular pots, one of which has two plants the other just a single plant. I actually have several cherry tomatoes, though they are still green, and several jalapenos already. Granted, none of them are ready to be harvested yet, but those plants do seem to have produced faster than any of the others.

I have, however begun to learn a few things from this gardening adventure. (These are not in any order, other than as they have occurred to me as I write this):

First, when starting from seeds you really want to begin several weeks before you intend to move the plants outside, if you intend to begin harvesting earlier in the summer.

Second, research a little bit and find out how much space each plant needs. I screwed up and tried growing two cucumber plants in the same container. I did the same thing with the tomato plants. I was able to separate the cucumber plants into their own container, but transplanting them when I did almost killed them both. The root systems of the tomato plants are so intertwined, and after almost losing both cucumber plants, I thought it best to leave them this year. But next year, they will be grown in separate containers.

Third, the harvest does eventually begin. Everything in it’s season.

Finally, I think I am beginning to grasp a couple things that apply to our spiritual lives. As I was picking a couple cucumbers the other day, and noticing that the other plants were finally beginning to produce, I was reminded of the above verses, as well as John 15. The produce will come in it’s time. I have been tempted several times to give up, but with more of that “p” word than I usually have, a commitment to care for my plants, a willingness to learn, and allowing God to do His part, I am beginning to enjoy the fruit of my labor.  The spiritual life also requires much more of that “p” word than many of us care to think about, a willingness to learn, caring and nurturing, and allowing God to do His work in His way and in His time. This will produce a harvest in our own lives. We will also be privileged to participate in various ways of planting, watering, tending to, and eventually to reaping harvests of others for Christ. We can’t rush the producing of the fruit, or the harvest. We have to allow ourselves, and others the grace to grow as directed by God. And sometimes, as I have been reminded over the past year or so, we may even have to tolerate the spreading of excess fertilizer by those who just don’t know any better. And when that happens, just remember, that fertilizer can lead to a better harvest.