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Daily Archives: July 13, 2007

15 years and counting

Today is the anniversary of the marriage to my lovely wife Proverbs 31 wifeRobin. It’s hard to believe we have been together that long. We surely did not start out in the best of circumstances but we are sure great examples of God’s grace towards His elect. We had been through more than our share of trials it seemed but looking back at them now, I can see God’s hand molding us. I try to thank God every day for his gracious gift of my wife. I know that by God’s grace on her that she has been able to put up with this geeky, quiet, southern boy from Tennessee. To that I would like to post a portion of Proverbs 31 to the honor of God and my wife.

10 An excellent wife who can find?She is far more precious than jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm,all the days of her life. 13 She seeks wool and flax,and works with willing hands. 14 She is like the ships of the merchant;she brings her food from afar. 15 She rises while it is yet nightand provides food for her householdand portions for her maidens. 16 She considers a field and buys it;with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 17 She dresses herself with strengthand makes her arms strong. 18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.Her lamp does not go out at night. 19 She puts her hands to the distaff,and her hands hold the spindle. 20 She opens her hand to the poorand reaches out her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 22 She makes bed coverings for herself;her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gateswhen he sits among the elders of the land. 24 She makes linen garments and sells them;she delivers sashes to the merchant. 25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,and she laughs at the time to come. 26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 27 She looks well to the ways of her householdand does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;her husband also, and he praises her: 29 Many women have done excellently,but you surpass them all. 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,and let her works praise her in the gates.

BTW, have blessed Friday the 13th. Only someone who is ignorant of a sovereign God would be anxious on an day such as today.

Soli Deo Gloria, 

Barry Dean

 
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Posted by on July 13, 2007 in Anniversary, marriage, Proverbs 31

 

A day of reflection on dependency

Today I took the day off from work to repair my car. You see my wife used it to take ourAudi repair daughter and her friend to the pool yesterday and when she returned home noticed that motor oil was liberally running out from under the car. She suspected that she may have done something to the car when she encountered a pot hole in the pool parking lot and the car bottomed out. Yep, the pot hole had punched a hole in the oil pan. It took no time for the oil to completely drain onto our driveway. I spread some dry-all compound on the spill in the driveway and then proceeded to search for an oil pan on the Internet.

The Lord has graciously provided two cars for us so I was able to drive down to the local U-Pull-It junk yards today to see if I could get my hands on an oil pan. I quickly found out that an oil pan for my Audi is a commodity in Omaha. After much searching I finally determined that I would not find one to install today and I would have to resort to ordering one over the Internet and wait the few days for it to arrive. As I was trying to figure out some way of working our schedules around one vehicle for the next few days it began to dawn on me how dependent we had become on the two cars we have. We would actually be considered very wealthy having two cars in any third world country and even in our own country depending on where you live. I also began to question how dependent I was on God. One of my favorite passages in the Old Testament came to mind. Isaiah 53:6 is such a wonderful reminder of God as our Good Shepherd:

All of us like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way: But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.

You see we are like sheep and we are dependent on God our shepherd to provide our hope. As our shepherd He gathered us to Himself with the redeeming blood of His Son Jesus Christ. Most of us as believers in His Son’s work on the cross will acknowledge our dependence on Him for salvation. But do we also depend on Him for this grace in all things? Grace is what it is. Or like the puncture of my oil pan and the realization of my dependence on having both of our cars running, do we also only realize our dependence on God’s grace when we encounter a puncture or trial in our life?

This is what I was thinking as I drove to Lincoln to pick up the oil pan that God had provided from a junkyard there. Yes, God does provide grace and I am so dependent on His grace even if I do not consider it as I go to and fro in life. My hope is that my attitude will turn from taking Him for granted, to trusting in Him completely. Trusting in Him for future grace.

ht: John Piper