22 years of marriage

The sunrise on our twenty-second anniversary of marriage took my breath away and sent me running outside with my camera (iPhone 5) in the twenty-eight-degree weather.  The scene unfolding before me reminded me of how God holds the universe together by his grace. It also reminds me how He has held us together for twenty-two years.

We have spent two days at a refuge spelunking the past year and eyeing the future with optimism and hope. Each year (almost) we have made it a priority to get away for our anniversary. This time affords us the opportunity to gather the blessings of the past year and to set some goals for the next one. After a few years this practice became habit and now it has become second nature.

We picked a verse for the next year. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” 

Last night we got a call from Joshua, 12. He said he wanted to say goodnight. I could hear the loneliness in his voice. We talked for a while and hung up. Later he called again. With a “what’s up with this” curiosity, I dug a little deeper in the conversation. Turns out Matthew, 21, had fallen asleep. The quiet house left Joshua alone and sleepless. He had a hard time knowing how to ask for help. We led him through it and finally had him take the phone with him, walk upstairs and awaken his brother. Finally we heard him tell a groggy Matthew, “Dad wants to talk to you.” 

Of course once Matthew came to, he wanted to comfort Joshua. As we hung up, we heard Matthew in the background speaking words of love and reassurance. Help in time of need.

One of the most important and humbling tasks as a human being is learning to ask for help. The Message translates verse 16: “take the mercy, accept the help.” Many folks have been there to help us in these twenty-two hears. Our God has been faithful to us. 

As the sun rises on our twenty-third year, we are reminded of the faithfulness of our God.  We need grace. We need mercy. I am grateful for a God who is there “help us in our time of need.”

As I close this post, I realize that it may come across like we are in crisis. We are not. Just your every day routine of marriage. I know that to be married is to need grace and mercy! To lay down your "rights," feelings, sometimes needs; and to put another before yourself is to need grace and mercy. Amen? Amen!