First Things First

Marriage has a definite order and structure to it. First, a man and a woman are drawn to each other. 

I first noticed my husband-to-be long before we became man and wife. He rented a room from one of my older sisters, and worked for a motorcycling manufacturer with her boyfriend. Because I often visited my sister, who lived just across town, I’d just as often see the young man, Luke, who rented a room from her. 

I was infatuated at first sight. Tall, lean, muscular, windblown blond hair, blue eyes, white teeth and soft looking lips caused me to imagine. 

But to him, I was just the little sister of the woman he rented a room from. Five years younger than his 21 years, I was not worth noticing.

Fast forward two years. I’m eighteen and driving away from Nebraska to Idaho in a caravan with four other people, him being one of them. We not only travel together, but everyone pools their money once we land at our destination and we all rent a house together. 

At eighteen and living under the same roof, I’m no longer just the little sister of the woman he once rented a room from. Now, he sees me; a young woman and a unique individual.

We spend time together, just the two of us and our feelings for each other are mutual. Though he had to propose to me three times, I finally set my fear aside and said, “Yes.”

Since 1980, the year we established ourselves as man and wife, we’ve remained together, but we’ve not remained the same. Instead, we’ve “grown up.” I’ve lost my earlier doubts about commitment and he’s grown even more in love with me. 

 An Order of Faith

Our relationship with God also has a definite order and structure to it as well. Though God always thinks about us, we don’t always think about God. Though God always has his eye on us, our eyes are not always opened to seeing God.

What causes us to finally believe that God is for us and not against us, that he loves and accepts us, and that he has good in mind for us? Seeing our need for salvation; agreeing with God about our propensity to live independent of him instead of committing ourselves to him, is different for everyone. 

For me, it happened in a most desperate moment and at just the right time. Though I don’t remember getting more than one invitation from God to join him in a relationship with himself, I may have. I just know that when I was in distress, I saw that God was literally with me and I made the choice to commit myself to following him.  

Since that time, in November of 1979, I’ve kept my commitment to following Christ, yet I’ve not remained the same. Instead, I keep growing in my knowledge of him, becoming more intimately acquainted with him and trusting him more and more.

Why Bother?

Why bother with order? There is an order to every intimate relationship, including our relationship with God. It begins by being drawn, followed by trust and then a lifelong commitment begins. Where might you be?