God always honors faith but he never honors fear. Although there will always be wars and rumors of wars and unexpected events in this life, Jesus said, “Fear not, for I have overcome the world.” According to the Word of God, tribulation works patience and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad by the holy spirit which is given to us. Cataclysmic events are often our “come to Jesus moments.” We have to be brought to our knees to acknowledge that we cannot help ourselves. On our knees, we have no control over our own situation.
The story of Johnny Bash is a story of turning to God for deliverance in the midst of the storms of life. Johnny was a successful young man in the eyes of the world. He was an athlete who had a thriving business. While on vacation on the Colorado River, he dived from the boat into the river. The river was shallow and in that catastrophic moment, Johnny became a quadriplegic. These are the times that try men’s souls. The trials of life challenge us not only when we ourselves have been broken and in need of help, but also when God calls each of us out of our comfort zones to minister to those among us who have been broken. As Jesus said, “In that ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
John White, a minister and evangelist with “Firefighters for Christ,” is another believer who has recently been brought to his knees. John reminds us that God is in the business of healing relationships. He and his wife Jane have been married for many years. As a fire fighter, John spent years training and drilling how to react and rescue others in the “line of fire.” He disciplined himself so that in the midst of a crisis situation, his actions to save others would kick in automatically. However, John like most men, had never been trained how to react as a husband. John knew that his wife was a godly woman who loved him despite his faults and failures. After twelve years of marriage, John finally read this command to husbands In Ephesians: “husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church.” John made two vows to God… the first was to love God above all. The second was to love his wife Jane as Christ loved the church. Learning how Christ loved the church is a lifelong lesson. John often asked his wife, “What can I change to love you more?” As a godly woman Jane always answered from a heart of unconditional love, “not a thing.”
Last month Jane was having stomach pains. About the same time, John hurt his wrist and his wife made an appointment and insisted that he go to the doctor. Jane told the doctor that John would have surgery to repair his wrist instead of an injection that may or may not alleviate the pain. The next week John returned the favor by taking his wife to the hospital to have her checked for her stomach pains. After the examination, Jane’s ER doctor and an oncologist came to the waiting room and reported that Jane had a large mass on her pancreas that had spread to her stomach. A few days later the doctor reported that Jane also had a large mass on her spine and that the cancer had spread to her vital organs. The oncologist kept mentioning God during the report. John asked the doctor if he were a Christian and the oncologist answered, “yes.” The doctor’s prognosis was that Jane only had about two weeks left to live and there was nothing medically that they could do for her. Her life was completely in God’s hands.
With only two weeks left, there is no time to start loving your wife as Christ loved the church. Jane told John a long time ago, that if he died before her, she didn’t know if she could make it through life. At that time John prayed, “Lord, please take my wife before me.” He wanted to spare his wife the pain of seeing her beloved husband suffer before dying. John reminds us that we must take the time now to love our wives as Christ loved the church. The context of this commandment is Ephesians 5:21: “Husbands and wives submit yourselves one to another out of reverence for Christ.” God’s command to men continues in verse 25: “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church.” A similar passage in Colossians 3 says, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye have been called in one body, and be ye thankful. And whatsoever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father through him.”
John once asked Jane, “have you ever met someone you didn’t pray for?” Her answer was, “I can’t think of anyone.” Before today’s meeting, Jane said, “Tell the men that they need Jesus, not just in times of disaster, but that they need Jesus today.” Today is the acceptable day of the Lord. How do you accept the Lord Jesus? According to Romans 10: 9-10, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe with thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Today is our moment of destiny… now is our “come to Jesus moment.” Now is the day of salvation. Before we can minister to others, we must first allow God to minister to us through the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. For he who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
Only when we allow God to love us by accepting his gift of salvation through Christ, can we in turn love our wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. Now is the acceptable day of the Lord… today is our “come to Jesus moment.” As God reveals to us how Christ loved the church, we can love our wives with this same love.
May God richly bless you.
Your brother in Christ,
Michael