A Long Life
“You shall not commit adultery.”1
A reporter was visiting an old folk's home and
there met three very old looking men. The reporter asked the first fellow what the
secret of his long life was. The man replied that he never smoked, never drank
alcoholic beverages, never caroused around, and was happily married to the same
woman for 60 years. When the reporter asked his age, the old man answered, “96
years old”. The reporter turned to the next man who looked considerably older
than the first and asked him the secret of his long life. The second man
answered, well, I smoked a little, I drank a little, I caroused around a
little, my first wife divorced me, so I married my second wife and we’ve been
married 43 years. The reporter asked him how old he was, and he replied, “I’m
66 years old”. The reporter then turned to the third man, who looked by far
worse than the other two, and asked him his secret. He answered that he smoked
three packs of cigarettes a day, drank two-fifths of pure rye whisky every day,
and caroused to the early hours of the morning six days a week. “I’ve never
been married”, said the man. The reporter asked him his age and he replied,
“I’m 21”.2
Stable marriages support a stable, healthy society.
Unstable marriages give rise to an unstable, unhealthy society. God has given
us the Ten Commandments for our benefit. They are meant to protect you and
protect your family from pain and suffering. God gave us the gift of marriage,
and He wants us to honor that commitment because it is a way of honoring Him.
Just as God asks us to put Him first and not worship other gods, He asks us to
put our marriage above all other earthly relationships. Allowing God’s
commandments to be the foundation of our lives ensures us a long and fruitful
life. However, we can’t pick and choose which of those commandments are most
convenient for us. Each one is linked to the next like a chain. We can’t honor
God and live in adultery. Just as you fell in love with your spouse and desired
to share your life with them, fall in love with Jesus. Allow Him to fill your
heart and become your utmost desire. Jesus loves us and promises to be faithful
to us, and he asks us to demonstrate the same kind of faithfulness in marriage.
Suggested Prayer: Dear Loving Father, you have given me a
perfect model for my marriage by the example of the love you have for your
church—your bride. Allow my marriage to be fruitful and honoring to you. I want
others to see my marriage and see you at the center! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
1. Exodus 20:14.
Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica B.
All articles on this website are written by
Richard (Dick) Innes unless otherwise stated.