I remember seeing a poster years ago explaining the stereotypical differences between men and women that was presented in what really was a sarcastic, smart aleck and rather demeaning manner. I'm sure you've probably seen a version of "The Rules" at some time or another. While there is some tongue-in-cheek humor to be found in the "The Rules," it certainly won't help you to have a happy home.
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." John 1:4
The light of Jesus has illumined the entire world, not by what He has done, but by what He was - "His life was the light of men." We often speak of the "life's work" of a man, but Jesus' life's work was His life.
When I want to get light from other men, I read their books or listen to their works, but when I want to get light from Jesus, I simply look to Him. As odd as it might sound, it is not so much what He says that I treasure - as great as that is - I treasure Him. You see, the Sermon on the Mount is amazing, but the sermon's Preacher is even more amazing.
This Sunday morning I will complete a short series of sermons on marriage. As I prayed about how to end this series I really struggled with exactly how to approach the last sermon subject - sex. Should I address those who have never been married and share how to stay pure until marriage or simply deal with the subject of sex within the confines of marriage? Since I have spent the past three weeks dealing with what might be considered the burdens of marriage - wives submitting to their husbands and husbands living with their wives with understanding - I decided to end with a blessing of marriage, what the writer of Hebrews calls "the marriage bed."
"Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land." Exodus 23:30
Am I to understand this verse to say that my Christian life is going to be one of perpetual conflict? Will I only "little by little" conquer my spiritual foes? I had always thought that when I came to Christ I was coming to the end of my struggle. After all, didn't Jesus Himself say, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"? But here it seems that in coming to Him there is the promise of war. Yes, there is at the same time the promise of rest and the promise of war, but these two are not contradictory. You see, the rest that Jesus promises isn't rest from the struggle - it is rest in the struggle. His gift is more than just a ceasefire in life's conflict. His gift to you is the power to fight.