Equally Yoked

I got married at a very young age and for all the wrong reasons. My first wife was a beautiful young woman and she was a very well behaved child and young lady. On the other hand I was lucky if I was an average looking and I certainly was not a well behaved child and I wasn't a very well behaved adult. All this being said, I was raised by parents that were Christian's. I also had grandparents that were Christian's. My family was active in church. It didn't matter what stupid thing I had done on Saturday night, I was expected to be in church. My first wife's father had passed away when she was young. Her mother attended church but only on occasion. Here family were good people but they just didn't have a strong or active faith. My first marriage lasted eight turbulent years before we were divorced. I certainly wasn't a perfect husband, but I firmly believe that one of the major reasons we couldn't make our marriage relationship work was because we were not equally yoked.

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

I was a single parent doing my best to raise 3 daughters for 4 years. During those 4 years I searched for a wife. I really don't like being single. I dated several woman but they either weren't interested in getting an instant family or I didn't think they were wife and step mother material. I finally gave up my search. I told my mother that I wasn't going to ask another woman ever for a date! However, if they were to ask me I would be a gentleman and I would say yes. My mother went to work as a match maker. It just happened that a friend of hers, that she had previously worked for, had a young single woman working for her and so it began. My mother and her friend Judy Nelson told Joyce Hendren, “All you have to do is call him and ask and he will say yes.” This was a big step for Joyce, she was a very shy young woman. She tried to call me, but at the time I wasn't home and when my answering machine picked up, she hung up and didn't leave a message. One of her friends called me at work and emphatically told me that I had to ask her out because she had tried to call me. So I broke my own rule and called her. This phone call began a whirlwind relationship. We both quickly realized that we shared the same goals and were both raised in Christian homes. I realized that in edition to Joyce sharing my devotion and faith in Jesus Christ she was willing to accept and help me raise my daughters. As a bonus she was physically beautiful. What does the bible have to say about finding a good wife?

Proverbs 31:10 ESV An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

How do a lot of men view their wife? They call them the old lady, or the old ball and chain. I can tell you that my wife is great blessing to me! My faith in God may guide my decisions, but my wife keeps me on the straight and narrow. I can say without a doubt that I am who I am today because of the influence of my God fearing wife. How do you view your wife? Do you view her as a blessing or a curse?

Proverbs 18:22 ESV He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.

Jesus loved the Church and He didn’t pursue what was best for Himself, but rather what was best for church. He sacrificed Himself on the cross was crucified because it was what the Church needed. What does your wife need? If you view your wife as a burden or hindrance, then you are not living up to your responsibility as a husband. You need to start looking at your spouse in a different way. You need to look at her as Jesus looks at her. Your wife is a blessing, start treating her as such!!!