“How can I help you Sir?” The sales attendant tried to gain my attention.
She could tell I was a buying customer by the intensity in which I looked at the jewelry. Any piece would not do, I had to make this special. Besides, after that last trip, I don’t know how much longer we have together, on Earth that is, our eternity lies in Heaven.
“I am looking for something special for my wife. We make twenty-six years on Friday.”
The sales person smiled a warm smile. She was a brunette with emerald green eyes. She looked to be a sweet young lady in her mid-twenties.
“Congratulations! Marriages like that are rare these days. So you want something special. How about this two carat white gold bracelet? I love how the diamonds rope around the gold. It could signify how tight the bond is between you and your wife. Two paths forged together, now twisted into one. Inseparable.”
Wow, I like this kid. What an awesome sales pitch.
“I like that one, but I’m not sure if I want to buy a bracelet.” I responded as I turned my attention to the necklaces.
“We have this one. It’s real popular. The diamonds, on the key, total one carat. The chain is white gold. It signifies you giving all access to your heart to your wife. You are making yourself an open book. No more secrets…just life and love.”
This kid is two for two right now.
“What about the rings? I said “Are they all costume or wedding?” I asked because most of what was in front of me looked bridal.
She scanned some pieces in a different area. “I really like this one.” She said as she brought me a white gold ring wrapped in small diamonds. The diamonds wrapped all the way around the ring in three layers.
“It is two carats. It is an eternity band ring. The circle of diamonds represents a continuous flow of love. It sends the message: we will be together for all eternity.”
That is precisely the message I want to send. “I’ll take it. I will need it in a size 6. How long does it take to size the ring?”
I know it will not be done in time for our anniversary, but I am questioning whether to wait and give it to her sized.
“It will take about seven days.” She answered.
I decided to take the ring now and bring it back later. I’d rather give it to her on our trip.
I called one of the local cruise boats and got a reservation. We would enjoy dinner and a two night stay on the boat.
I am beyond ready to enjoy time with my wife. Missy and Phillip are old enough to stay at home alone so childcare doesn’t have to be arranged. We will only be gone for two nights because I have to preach at my church and another church Sunday. I know Missy would probably say I should go and let someone else do church. But, I feel like God has a message for his people. I can’t delay giving it because I don’t know how long we have. We have to take advantage of every moment. I believe the end is closer than I thought it was before.
When I made it back to my office, I phoned Mr. Peter to fill him in on Mexico.
“Hello Pastor Mike, How are you? How was your trip?”
Mr. Peter has been a deacon at the church for longer than I have been Pastor. He has always done everything and anything necessary for the church and me. He is very loyal and respectable.
“I am doing good. I spent most of the day planning our anniversary trip. The Mrs. and I will make twenty six years on Friday. We won’t be gone long so we can make it to church that Sunday.”
“Now Pastor…you know you can get one of the other pastors to fill in for you, and spend more time with your wife. But Ima leave that alone.”
I laughed.
Peter is old school and quick to set you right. He sets the best example for how to cherish your wife. Notice I said cherish not love. Because love alone can only go so far, when you cherish a woman she knows just how much you love her. Treat her like a queen and she will remain loyal, faithful and submissive. I believe you get what you give. People need a reason to trust you.
I know many women get antsy when we talk submission. I believe once a woman is secure in your love, loyalty and faithfulness as well as comfortable in your ability to meet her every need, she will submit. I notice a difference in the love I had for my wife prior to my Christianity compared to what we share now. I didn’t know how to love or be a Godly husband.
Worldly love doesn’t compare to Godly love on any level. Worldly love is so superficial and conditional. Godly love is a choice. It is a choice to forsake yourself for another. Think of how hard it is to bring bodily harm against yourself. For example, can you stab yourself with a knife? Jesus showed us real love in willingly offering himself for torture and sacrifice. Knowing this kind of love and God’s commandment to love this way, changes the game. There is no room for pride or selfish will. Once I decided to love my wife like God loves me, I noticed a change in her. She began to trust me and my decisions because she knows I have a relationship with God. She trusts Him to lead me in my leadership of the family.
Of course, she is my accountability partner. I value and respect her opinions and suggestions.
I learned a lot about how to treat my wife (gentleman style) from Mr. Peter. This man takes care of his wife.
“I know Mr. Peter, but I feel like I have to get these messages out now. Some interesting things happened in Mexico. I had to depossess a man who, unexpectantly, wanted to be possessed. Afterwards, he killed himself. He actually jumped into a fire. The demons are getting stronger. I know we are in the last days.”
I can talk to Mr. Peter because he is very aware of the battle we are fighting. In fact prior to his wife turning ill, he would accompany me on some of the missions.
“Wow, he wanted to be possessed. Who in their right mind would want a demonic spirit in their body?” He sounded as shocked as I was when I first considered it.
“That’s just it. He wasn’t in his right mind. He had a lot of things go wrong in a short period of time. He was overwhelmed and depressed. He needed something to believe in and wanted to feel important. Unfortunately, he didn’t have someone to lead him to the Lord. The demons found him and sold him a story of lies. He fell. It’s sad.”
Mr. Peter got silent. I guess he is thinking about what I said.
“Yeah Pastor, it is sad. I never knew the demons to seek consent either. With him in such a state, they could have just possessed him.”
After pondering that for some time now, I am able to give a logical answer to that question. “All I can guess is they are looking for ways to become stronger. The unwilling body is more restricted than the willing one. A spirit was using Pedro to control other people. It had caused several fathers to brutally murder their son by hacking their body into pieces. Then, the fathers would give Pedro the heart before burning the other severed pieces separately in the fire. I saw it happen. It was very disturbing to watch.”
Mr. Peter had made several sounds and verbal expressions as I described it to him. It was like he was getting a visual of my words.
“What are we going to do? You know, as well as I do, they will come back and this time they will be even stronger. We have to prepare.” He finally responded.
I know Mr. Peter is right. The problem is Phillip is too young to commit to such a battle and Missy is just not interested. I need Missy to accept her calling and I need her to do so now. We will need all the help we can get to fight this. As a pastor, I was chosen to serve and protect God’s people. My kids were also chosen to take up the battle in my absence. They have to accept this calling in order to be used by God and to receive their angels.
Just like the demonic spirits are limited by an unwilling host, the angels too cannot inhabit an unwilling person. The difference is the demons don’t play by the same rules. They don’t care about a person’s right to choose. They search for cracks and seep in. God will not use someone that doesn’t consent to hi
m.
“I don’t know what to do yet, Mr. Peter. I know we need help. I’ll call my friends and alert them to the situation. I’ll tell them to be on standby should something come up.”
I just had lunch with them. It would have been so much better to speak with them about this together as a group. But, I’m sure I can get them on the phone.
“What about Missy, Is she coming around?” Mr. Peter knows of Missy’s call and the importance of her submitting to it.
“I am still working on it. She’s not ready to know right now. I pray she will be soon because we are running out of time.”
I thought about what I had just said. The words hit me like a ton of bricks. I have got to get through to Missy.
“Ok Pastor, I will see you Sunday. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help with the trip.”
I hung up the phone and decided to go home.
Epic Testament Page 10