Wishing or Working

The Shocking Message



These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008. They were written by a Godly lady for other ladies young and old so that their walk with the Lord may be strengthened.

Used with permission from New Beginnings Baptist Church.




This devotion is part of the "Tying the Marriage Knot Tighter" series.

A marriage seminar hosted for us by Adam and Eve!

Over the last few days we have been looking at God's design for our marriages. Today we discover the result of following His plan for true marital happiness. We find the fruit of keeping the priorities both in our personal life and home life in order. We come across the outgrowth of guarding against the unbalanced, unhealthy influences that our parents and children both can contribute when we're trying to build intimate and satisfying relationships with our spouses. What is that fruit to which I am referring? It is openly displayed for all to see in the final verse of Genesis chapter two:

Verse 25:
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Ladies, this is the Biblical definition of a perfect marriage! The word that stands out to me here is "ashamed". What do you know the definition of "ashamed" to be? Webster's 1828 dictionary defines it accordingly:

Affected by shame; abashed or confused by guilt or a conviction of some criminal action or indecorous conduct, or by the exposure of some gross errors or misconduct, which the person is conscious must be wrong, and which tends to impair his honor or reputation. Confused by a consciousness of guilt or of inferiority; by the mortification of pride; by failure or disappointment.

Why do you think the fact that Adam and Eve were not ashamed is noted here in the Word of God? Why was it so easy for this couple to render themselves open in every respect, yet experience no guilt or conviction of failure, no feelings of inferiority or superiority with each other? How is it possible that they could find total fulfillment, acceptance, and security in the presence of one another? Because doing things God's way - using His blueprints - always ensures that the building of our marriages will come out perfectly! No wedges or walls, no gaps or cracks exist between husband and wife in such cases - physical, emotional, or spiritual. There is no shame, no guilt, no bitterness, no anxiety, no pressure, no self-consciousness, no fear, and no worries at all - for the relationship is rock solid and contains not one weak spot. There is joy - and enjoyment - in married life when individuals adhere to the Lord's guidelines….

Psalm 119:6 (KJV)
Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

John 13:17 (KJV)
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

So dear lady, how happy are you today with your marriage? How secure do you and your husband dwell by each other? Are there any walls or wedges that exist between you today? How much enjoyment are you finding in your spouse? How much joy would your husband say you bring to his life? Is there any female other than you that makes him happier, whose company he enjoys more?? I hope not! If so, you've got some building to do! You must have a willing heart toward doing whatever work is necessary in contributing to the stability of your relationship with your husband. You see, scripture says the man AND his wife was naked; each partner was fully exposed to the other - devoid of apprehension. Ladies, that means you and I, as wives, are going to have to yield to vulnerability and be willing to trust God in order to have an ideal marriage…

Ruth 2:12 (KJV)
The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Perhaps today you are disappointed and terribly unhappy with the man you have married. I hope you are not sitting back waiting for his perfection to appear before you will put forth the necessary effort on your part for reviving your relationship! Ladies, if you resent or despise doing what God has laid out in His Word for you as a wife to do, it could cost you your marriage and send your husband into the arms of another woman - or send you out the door in the wrong direction as well! Only wisdom - Gods' wisdom - can keep husband and wife pure from the sensual offerings of the opposite sex...

Proverbs 7:1-5 (KJV)
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

Yes, God's Word keeps us from destroying our lives with sin. And following God's Word keeps us from destroying our marriages with sinful attitudes and actions. 'Keep', 'lay up', 'bind' and 'write' - each of these words are used in the above verse as a verb - a word denoting action! KEEP God's instructions for a happy marriage close to your heart and it will bring new life to your marriage! LAY UP His commandments - cling to His precious promises. BIND them upon your fingers - apply them daily to your situation, adding more skill and love to the womanly touch you bring into your home. WRITE them upon the table of your heart - memorize scripture, keep your heart soft and tender toward the man you married so that your actions and reactions to him will be right and good. We ought to make wisdom as much a part of our life as a dear sister would be - keeping it close and fellowshipping with it freely and regularly, holding it near in heart and mind every moment of the day, looking to it for advice and counsel as we would an older sister. Make understanding your kindred spirit, your best friend above all others, and you'll find that your friendship with your husband will blossom into what God intended it to be all along!

Proverbs 3:1-4 (KJV)
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Ladies, there is no need for us to fall prey to what evils the devil would use to break down our marital intimacy when we have God's blueprints with which to wisely build our homes! Are you applying what you know to do, or just collecting information?? How many articles, e-mails, audiotapes, videotapes, and books do YOU own on the subject of marriage? In an earlier scriptural reference, we read that we are happy if we DO what we know, not just know what to do! Many Christian women continually chase after more teachings, yet never DO anything with all the information they have gathered, and so shame enters their marriage and the relationship suffers greatly…

Proverbs 12:4 (KJV)
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

This world is full of what the Bible refers to as "strange" women, and frankly, they would love to steal your husband! Many a Christian woman has fallen in her character, left her husband, and become "strange" herself. Do not fail to appreciate and appropriate personally the wise teachings that God has clearly given us as wives! Marital ruin will most certainly occur when you and I don't direct our hearts toward the application of knowledge. Any marital information you've gathered doesn't become wisdom for you until you personally appropriate it! Wouldn't you prefer the testimony of your marriage to be as Genesis 2:25 presents to us today?

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Ladies, I want you to understand that the Lord gave us this verse because it IS possible to have a perfect marriage! It IS possible for you and your husband to share the same kind of intimacy that Adam and Eve did. Are you finally ready to wholly obey God's instructions? Wishing your marriage were better isn't the answer - WORKING at it is!

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed…

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003 Meet Ms. Pam

Other Rise and Shine Devotionals
New Beginnings Baptist Church Website