Marriage. Designed by God. Created for God.

Today, I am starting to read the book, This Momentary Marriage by John Piper. My goal is to read one chapter a day. So far, the Introduction and Chapter 1 has been really good! Some things I have heard before but John Piper has a way of saying things differently. I can already tell this book is going to be a MUST read!

Here's a couple short paragraphs I wanted to share:

CHRIST WILL NEVER LEAVE HIS WIFE

Staying married, therefore, is not mainly about staying in love. It's about keeping our covenant. "Til death do us part" or "As long as we both shall live" is a sacred covenant of promise - the same kind Jesus made with his bride when he died for her. Therefore, what makes divorce and remarriage so horrific in God's eyes is not merely that it involves convenant breaking to the spouse, but that is involves misrepresenting Christ and his covenant. Christ will never leave his wife. Ever. There may be times of painful distance and tragic backsliding on out part. But Christ keeps his covenant forever. Marriage is a display of that! That is the ultimate thing we can say about it. It puts the glory of Christ's covenant-keeping love on display.

The most important implication of this conclusion is that keeping covenant with our spouse is as important as telling the truth about God's covenant with us in Jesus Christ. Marriage is not mainly about being or staying in love. It's mainly about telling the truth with our lives. It's about portraying something true about Jesus Christ and the way he relates to his people. It is about showing in real life the glory of the gospel.

Jesus died for sinners. He forged a covenant in the white-hot heat of his suffering in our place. He made an imperfect bride his own with the price of his blood and covered with the garments of his own righteousness. He said, "I am with you... to the end of the age... I will never leave nor forsake you" (Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5). Marriage is meant by God to put that gospel of reality on display in the world. That is why we are married. That is why all married people are married, even when they don't know and embrace the gospel.

I think this is so beautiful. Thank you Jesus for my marriage. Please continue to bless and protect it. May our relationship and actions toward each other point to you. 

Blogger... Who Me??

       I would have never in a million years thought that I would be blogging. I guess this is what happens after you graduate school and have lots of time on your hands. I cannot stop laughing looking at all the options I have for formatting my blog. Font, text, blog name, pictures.. the list goes on. I cannot believe I am blogging. The funny thing is that I could careless if people actually don't read this thing. But if you are reading this, I hope all my posts will be edifying and able to bless/enrich your life in some way.

    I guess I should start my first post by explaining the title - Hiding Behind the Cross. When I was attending Origin Community Church in Rocklin, pastor Mark South would always use that phrase. Hiding Behind The Cross. If we are constantly trying to hide behind the cross, allowing Jesus to cover us and to guide our lives.. when people look at our lives and look at us, they see the cross - they see Jesus. Because Jesus covered the cross in His blood for ALL of us, when God sees us He sees Jesus. We are now in perfect relationship with God. It's a huge thing to grasp. I can go more in depth but that's the gist. So my goal in life is to hide behind the cross, recklessly following Jesus acknowledging that I am in perfect relationship with God because of Christ. That's my response to Him. To Recklessly Follow Jesus. Hopefully as I live the gospel out in my life others will see Jesus through me. Sure, I am definitely not perfect. I have plenty of flaws and weaknesses but Jesus makes me complete. Cliche? Yes! But it is the truth!!

    In this blog, I will share ideas and thoughts that God is teaching me... things that God is sharing with me. Who ever reads this... welcome to the journey. May these blogs bless you. If you do not believe in God or have a relationship with Him, these blogs are for you too... for anyone really. And if no one reads this, then it's just for me :)