Our first month of marriage has been full of so much joy and
growth. It’s incredible, really. For so long we’d been living in anticipation
of simply being one, living this gift of life together, enjoying each day as it
comes, and sharing a home.
Home.
That’s what marriage is for me: The place of safety and
assurance that I’m secure in the arms of love, with the Father, and with my
husband. Home, a place where love permeates the air, authenticity is expected,
silliness is encouraged, and the gentlest, warmest golden doodle is always
there to shadow me to the next room.
Home.
It’s what I’ve longed for the most over the years in
anticipation of marriage. Knowing that every day is another gift to share with
the best human I know in a space that is ours; the freedom to completely be ourselves
with one another; the design of marriage that so intricately models the
Father’s sacrificial and relentless love for us.
The second half of our honeymoon was spent in the mountains
of Gatlinburg, TN. We hiked quite a bit, and through these hikes and moments of
enjoying the fresh summer mountain air, God continually taught me about
marriage and journeying together.
As we hiked, we traversed over paths of tree roots, muddy
waters, firm, matted-down dirt, fallen trees, little streams, mossy rocks, wooden
planks; uphill, downhill. As we hiked, I noticed myself following closely
behind Noah as he led the way, watching his feet and mirroring his steps,
trusting that where he stepped, the path was secure. This steady rhythm of one
step after the other continued as we hiked, and God began painting this picture
in my mind in relation to marriage: the two of us hiking on the path of life,
in a similar rhythm of being in step together.
Throughout our various hikes, Paul’s command in First
Corinthians resurfaced and continued to dance around my mind: Follow my example, as I follow the example
of Christ (11:1). In that moment, I had a light bulb instance of realization
that this is what God intended marriage to look like: A journey of husband and
wife together, with the husband ultimately leading the wife in the way of
Christ, modeling for her His love and living as an example of Christ that she
can follow closely as they pursue Him together. This rhythmic dance of walking
closely together painted such a beautiful picture of marriage for me, Noah
leading the way and me shadowing each step. Even in those initial days of being
married, it was so incredible to see this image playing out in other areas of
our life, with my husband leading the way, gently pointing me toward Jesus and
me keeping closely in step with him. What a beautiful revelation of God’s
merciful gift to us; oh, what a tremendous gift He’s given us in marriage.
I realize the path of life won’t always be the smooth,
matted down dirt that’s level and easy to maneuver; there will be steep climbs,
thick air, tree roots that pop up out of nowhere to trip us, those darn
slippery mossy rocks, messy, and muddy stretches; uphill, downhill. We’ll trip,
wipe out sometimes, get tired, frustrated, discouraged. But I know that in
these moments, we’ll have each other and the Father to cling to, pushing
through the path to get to the beauty at the top of the next clearing.
This week in one of my devotional readings, I came across
the Greek word “parakoloutheo”, meaning to
tirelessly accompany someone; to constantly be at the side of an individual; to
always be in close proximity with a person, like a faithful companion who is
always at one’s side. Again, I was reminded of this previous imagery, and
how closely this represents marriage. Tirelessly walking together; a faithful
companion; constant. I love how God works, and I love how He speaks, through
anything and everything.
In one short month of marriage, my husband has been my
leader, my protector, my counselor and listening ear, my navigator, my
encourager and comforter, my nurse, my teammate, my truest companion, full of
servanthood, compassion, tenderness, selflessness, and, of course, great humor.
In reflecting on this first month of sharing a home, my heart is overwhelmed
with complete joy. It’s been such a rich season of newness, growth, and
togetherness.
As this journey begins, I am brimming with gratitude. Here’s
to many, many more months of joy in this home of love.
Beautiful
ReplyDelete