I started this book on Monday after my sweet Mother In Love gave it to us Sunday. It is doing some major work on my "need to be the perfect wife" heart.
The first chapter deals with our own personal relationships and fear of God. Marriage cannot flourish if our own, personal relationships are floundering.
Fear... Now that's something I don't spend a lot of time thinking about. Francis Chan talks about and references scripture as a reminder of that moment when we will see God's face. Revelation 4 and 5 talk about what the throne will be like, and I don't know that I've ever spent a whole lot of time pondering what that will actually look like. Read it one verse, one image at a time, and picture it. It gave me chills and this overwhelming feeling of awe. Who can imagine what he or she will experience when seeing the face of God? I surely don't even know where to begin. Chan prompted his readers to spend some time staring at God and just being with Him. In the business of everyday life, I don't take time to sit and be and stare at the glory that is my Father. I say my prayers where I ask God for a lot of things, thank Him for a lot of things, but rarely get to the point where I am just sitting and gleaning from the beauty of the Lord.
It also touched on something that, since getting married, I struggle with thinking about. My marriage to Jackson will not exist in Heaven. I spent so much of my life (almost half, to be exact) looking forward to marrying him, I can't wait to spend my earthly life with him, and I just can't imagine not having that in Heaven. Now. Does that mean that I would trade being the bride of Christ for eternity? Not one bit. But it is a bit heartbreaking. It's a lot heartbreaking, if I'm honest.
Have you read this book? How did it work in your heart and in your marriage? I am loving it so far and can't wait to let God work!
