This morning I wrap up my trip to Colorado to vist my close friends the Hittles. It has been a week of blessed fellowship and fun as we have baked and discussed practical theology, played pirate-ish games, and watched movies together. I have also been blessed as I have had the opportunity to further deepen friendships here with those who attend church with the Hittles, and I've been blessed when I've had the opportunity (when not too tired to stay up) to read together as a family from the Bible.
Last night I missed out as I was quite tired by the time we finished our movie. I got up this morning and read the reading myself, and it was a sweet time of fellowship with the heart of God as He showed me something new.
From 1Sam 8-12 we read that Saul was selected as a king because the people of Israel had rejected God as King. They cried out for Him to set a king over them. God made clear to Samuel that it was not him they had rejected, but God Himself, and that what they had asked for would not turn out like they had wanted. God granted them their king, Saul was chosen, and they were satisfied in that once they saw his care for the people in defending them against a foe.
OK, so this brought to my mind to pray concerning when we ask God to set a person in place of the roles He fulfills in our lives. As I did, I thought to that area of asking for a husband, and the we are often told that God is our husband and as singles we don't need to ask further. The more I thought about this, the more I realized that this thinking is somewhat flawed. Yes, Paul told us it is better to remain single for our focus is to be on the Lord. There is a point to which we need to make sure our seeking is for God as our first priority.
As I thought on this this morning, however, God reminded me that there is never a point where He scolded someone for seeking to be married. He has set this covenant up from the beginning. The idea of Him bieng our husband is for the most part future, as it we will see it at the return of Christ. He is our Bridegroom, and we His bride. However, we do not have an accurate picture outside of marraige of what this would look like. Marriage is a blessed covenant between a man and his wife, and for that matter between the couple and God. It is to fulfill His command to fill the earth, and it's a blessing He has given us to relate to one another in this way.
The King, God Most High, has shown Himself in many ways, and we know that He is King above all. From the beginning He has made clear that He will not be outdone. He banished sinful mankind from the Garden of Eden, declared wars and conquered foes to proclaim His name and to make known that He is King. We have a very accurate picture of God as King, and this is not to say that we would not have done the exact same thing in asking for a king at the time, but it is to say that God has reason to be angered by the Israelites asking for a king in His place.
So, to further go down this road of asking for a husband, I thought back to Eden and the first marraige to ever be. God ordained it, created it for a blessing to Adam, as He said that it was not good for man to be alone. God made marriage to be a covenant blessed from the beginning of time. So, my next thought was that in addition to asking for a husband, I need to be asking for God to make me into the woman to be the helper for the man for whom He created me. I am blessed to know that in asking for a husband, I'm also asking Him to fulfill another's longings as well.
Points to take away...before seeking God to fulfill your requests, seek to fulfill His longing to have you seek Him. Second, before making a statement of what not to ask God (we have to many of those, and they're mostly unscriptural), seek to understand what He says about it. Lastly, look forward to the day when we will be united with our Heavenly Bridegroom for all eternity.
