Fight for Your Wife and Home

Derek’s favorite childhood book was “I Love You Forever.” It tells how a mother rocks her son to sleep every night. First as a baby, then a toddler, then a boy, then a teen. Her boy grows up and moves into a house across town. His mother puts a ladder on top of her station wagon and drives to it. She climbs into his window, picks him up, and rocks him, back and forth…

Saturday night, I dreamt about that book. Derek and Rachel bought a 2 story house. I woke up from my dream thinking, “I need a longer ladder.”

Then I shook myself. I waited almost 26 years for him to move out. I’m done rocking him! I guess adjusting to an empty nest may take longer than I thought.

Nehemiah 4:2, “…Do they think they can get everything back to normal overnight? …” The Message

Marriage is like a wall. You set this boundary around yourself and your spouse. What many do not realize is you work on it. Every. Day.

Nehemiah 4:6, “We kept at it, repairing and rebuilding the wall. The whole wall was soon joined together and halfway to its intended height because the people had a heart for the work.” The Message

In the beginning, we had a heart for the work. It’s “You and Me Against the World.” But as the years go by, it is easy to neglect it.

Your wall will not look like your parent’s wall. It will not look like your friend’s wall. God designed your wall. It will protect your marriage while you fulfill His purpose for you as a couple.

Saturday night, before we went to sleep, David and I prayed. “We are empty nesters now. We were youth leaders when we were young. You called us to serve on worship teams during our entire marriage. Now that we have freedom, show us where we are to serve together.”

Nehemiah 4:9, “We countered with prayer to our God and set a round-the-clock guard against them.” The Message

In the wedding, Pastor Josh Cody instructed Derek and Rachel to fight. Fight for their marriage. Fight for each other. Keep God first and He will fight for you.

Nehemiah 4:13-14, “So I stationed armed guards at the most vulnerable places… (14) …’Don’t be afraid of them. Put your minds on the Master, great and awesome, and then fight for…your wives and your homes.’ ” The Message

Guard the vulnerable places. Don’t be afraid. Look to our great and awesome God. Fight for your wife and your home.

#bible