Yesterday, May 5th, 2024 my wife and I celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary. What a journey it has been! It’s hard to believe all we’ve been through in those 45 years. I look back in wonder at how God has worked so profoundly in our lives and the things he has brought us through.
We began this journey, two young people, determined to serve the Lord the rest of our lives. Our earnest commitment–To build our marriage house on the solid rock of obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Word. To listen and obey with all our hearts, the voice of God.
We knew storms were coming. We knew the wind and rain, hail and floods of trials and tribulations would come, beating relentlessly on our marriage house, trying to destroy it. But honestly, we had no idea of the severity of what was coming. We had no idea the struggles we’d have to overcome, the self-life that needed to be put to death or the savage, satanic attacks that would be unleashed on our lives. We did not fully realize the growth and maturity that needed to occur, or the tests of our faith that lay ahead, to arrive at this momentous, 45 year anniversary.
You see friends, every one of us must choose, every single day. Will we build our marriage on the shifting sand of our feelings, on the ever shifting cultural definitions of family, sex roles, behavior and what society says is normative, or will we build our marriage on the rock foundation of obedience to God’s Word? On His definition of marital roles? On His commands of godly, Christ-like behavior, and submission to the will of God as our way of life?
I can say with all my heart, Kathy and I do not have one single regret for choosing to build on rock! We do not have one single regret for choosing to live out the roles God assigned to us in our marriage. We do not have one single regret for choosing the life of faith, a life of service to our Savior, His people and His purposes. We would choose it all over again.
High on this 45 year summit, we remember so vividly: We walk by faith, not by sight.
Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
You are our Refuge and Shield: your word is our only source of hope.
We’ve been crucified with Christ! To live is Christ, to die is gain.
Unless you fall to the ground and die you remain alone.
Fall to the ground and die, you’ll bear much fruit.
Keep your life and lose it. Lose your life and you’ll find real life.
Christ came that we might have life, and have it abundantly.
We are what we are by the grace of God.
As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
How blessed is the couple that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly.
How blessed is the couple that delights in the law of the Lord.
They think about His law everyday, they will prosper.
Though all the people walk in the name of their God, as for us, we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever!
So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.
We treasure the words of His mouth more than our necessary food.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart!
Don’t lean on your own understanding.
Seek His will in all you do.
Fear the Lord, turn from evil.
Train yourself to be godly.
Love each other as Christ loved you.
He has forgiven all our sins and mistakes.
Forget what is behind, press on to what lies ahead.
His grace is sufficient.
His power is made perfect in our weakness.
He will never leave us or forsake us.
He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.
Pray about everything.
Ask, you will receive.
Seek, you will find.
Knock, the door will be opened.
When they call on me, I will answer.
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue them and honor them.
I will satisfy them with a long life and give them my salvation.
Great is His faithfulness.
Surely goodness and surely love will follow us all the days of our lives.
To my extraordinary wife, “Thank you for your love, your devotion, your loyalty and great patience with me all these years. Thank you for your genuine, pure devotion to Jesus Christ. Your daily devotion to read and obey his Word. You are a treasure I do not deserve.”
Matthew 7:24-27 NLT
Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash.
