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In the last few months we have covered a number of important Scriptural concepts related to marriage. All of them are important, yet none of them will be effective in your life unless you are a ‘doer’ of God’s word. This is where we stop playing mental and spiritual games with ourselves, and find a place where we can sit down and be alone with God. Then, deliberately choose to yield our life to Him and put into practice all that He has taught us thus far. This kind of commitment is the
‘bridge’ that takes us from being a ‘hearer’ of the Word, to a ‘doer’ of God’s Word.

I know how hard it is to make this kind of commitment, because mine was no exception. About once a month the churches of our denomination would have a youth ‘sing night’. At the end of the song time there would be a local pastor or guest speaker who would strongly encourage us to dedicate our lives to the mission fields of Africa, become a pastor, or full time ministry in ‘whatever’ the speaker was involved . I could never bring myself to commit to something that was so far in the future. I was still a teenager and The Vietnam war was still going on at that time. To make that kind of commitment was not something I could do in all honesty, and I was not about to make a promise to God that I might not be able to keep.

However, at one of these meetings the guest speaker did something that I had never heard before. He didn’t try to convince us to go into any specific area of ministry, missions work, etc., instead he asked if there was anyone who would “…dedicate themselves to live one day at a time to the Lord?” This got my attention! Living for the Lord one day at a time is all anybody can do. I can’t live yesterday over again and I can’t live tomorrow today. Also, by dedicating each day to the Lord, He could make me whatever He wanted me to be and I didn’t have to worry about it. I would trust God and Christ to guide me into (or out of) whatever They wanted me to be or do. I was a ‘hearer’ of God’s word and that summer night, in the mid 1960’s I became a ‘doer’ of God’s word; ‘one day at a time’, every day. No fair skipping days!

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

-James 1:19-25 NKJV

The truth is that none of us know what may happen tomorrow or the next day. That’s why living each day for the Lord, one day at a time, makes a lot of sense, whether you’re single or married. Neither you or your spouse will have all the answers for the future. The fact that we don’t know the future can be a bit frightening at times, but don’t worry there’s help right around the corner. (or on the next page?)

Take a look at this passage from Romans:

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pain of childbirth until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance (or patience) we wait eagerly for it. And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

-Romans 8: 22-28

God knows our frailties. He knows that we need help, even to get started in doing His will. So, for us to admit this, should cause us to go to Him in prayer; asking the Holy Spirit to help us pray correctly and be encouraged that His Spirit ‘intercedes for us according to the will of God’.

As you walk together as husband and wife, dedicating yourselves to; ‘live for Christ one day at a time’, you will have good days, average days and hard days. We all do. But as you continue on through the years I hope you will remember this illustration and wise counsel, that I learned in the summer of 1976.

Hermon Pettit, one of founders of Hume Lake Christian Camp in the mountains of California, told me one day something that I have never forgotten. He said:

You know, there’s a lot of people that come up to this camp and have a wonderful time. They have the joy of having a ‘mountain top experience’ with God, here in the high Sierras. But at the end of the week they have to go home, back to the valley. Too many of them are sad to go back, and I can’t help but think that they have missed the point of all this. Don’t they know that almost all the spiritual fruit grows while you’re in the valleys? We shouldn’t be sad, we should learn to be ‘Spiritual Fruit’ pickers!

Husband, wife; follow God and Christ all the days of your life. Enjoy the blessings that God has for you in your ‘mountain top experiences’ and look for the ‘Spiritual Fruit’ as you walk through the valleys where cool waters run deep and calm.

Sincerely in Christ,
with much love,
Pa & Ma Conley