When I was a young student, I had a difficult time appreciating several subjects. At the time, I did not understand the relevance of them and unfortunately, I did not have teachers in those particular subjects, with a passion to help me appreciate them. History was one of those subjects. I was young and I did not care about what happened a hundred years ago; let alone in the centuries beyond then. Later this would change, when I developed a passion to study the Word of God.
I was about ten years old when I first began to read the Word of God. At the time, I knew that it was important, because a mysterious voice from within me, told me that it was. It was not until I was in my early thirties that I made a commitment to study the Word of God every day. No sooner would I completely read through his word, I would return to the beginning and read it through again. In time, I realized that no matter how many times I read the Word of God, I could always learn something new or rediscover something I had forgotten.
However, there were times when the Lord used his word, in order to chastise me. Sometimes the Lord rebuked me so firmly that he broke my heart and my body became weak. There were times when I was so humbled that I laid face down on the floor or the earth and I thought that I would never be able to stand up again. I felt as though I was going to literally have a heart attack. When this happened, I had a difficult time studying the Word of God, because I was afraid of him. Sometimes, several months would pass, before I had the courage to study again. I remember one time after this happened; I picked up the Word of God after some time had lapsed and the Lord said, “I am glad your back, I have missed you.” One evening, when I felt like I had been through a gauntlet of discipline, I lay in bed and I quietly asked the Lord if he had forgotten himself; how powerful he was, and that I was only a human being. At that time, I felt like a wilted leaf. I asked the Lord if he had to speak to me with such firmness, when he corrected me, and did he have to frighten me so close to death every time? Later that night, in a dream, the Lord accepted my prayer and thereafter he used more restraint. However, there were still times when I got up on a high horse and the Lord had to knock me back down again.
In the Word of God we are taught that discipline is never easy to accept or to appreciate at the time that we receive it; however, after we have been chastised, we can recognize its goodness. (Hebrews 12:5-11) The Lord knows how to humble us and bring us to our knees. When the Lord chastises us; he does so as a father who truly loves us, and by disciplining us; our character develops and we become a better person, because of it. In the early stages of my relationship with the Lord, I did not recognize my pride and I was not sensitive to my heart or able to realize when it became hard. In the beginning, the Lord and I went in circles and it was rough. In time, I learned to swallow my pride and listen to him. I learned how to be sensitive and accept his words. Later, when I would step back and examine the changes in my life or the development of my relationship with the Lord, I realized that this was for my benefit. Once you become sensitive to the Spirit of the Lord and you learn how to bend the knees of your heart, a very close and intimate relationship begins to develop. This is a very special relationship, which is hard to appreciate if you have never experienced it; however, it is one that I hope everyone will strive to achieve.
Now I can hear the Lord on a regular and continual basis, and we communicate with each other throughout the day and into the evening, before I fall asleep. We have become very intimate and our relationship has developed at many levels. I know the Lord is my God. Sometimes the Lord has to remind me of this, when I become too familiar with him, when I speak to him. The Lord has become like a father, a brother, and a dear friend to me. I would love to be able to tell you that the Lord never has to discipline me anymore; however, this would be untrue. I am continually learning and constantly growing. Fortunately we are not running around in circles anymore and the Lord has not had to discipline me quite as much, in a long time. Throughout the day while I am working, cleaning, cooking, or doing just about anything else; I can feel the Spirit of the Lord with me. The Lord will frequently offer me ideas, in order to improve my task. If I ask the Lord a question, sometimes the Lord will answer it, even before the thought is completed in my mind. When I wake up early, I will listen for the Lord and when I go to bed, we will talk about the day or what plans he and or I may have for tomorrow. This is a very wonderful experience and one that I hope you will enjoy too!
Even today, after I have been studying the Word of God for over twenty five years; I get excited, and I become emotional. For every success that there is between the Lord and those who are mentioned in his Word, I feel joy and for every tragedy or failure, I feel sorrow. The Lord is still revealing mysteries to me through his Word. Every day I look forward to studying and I wonder what pearl of wisdom I might discover. I am always relearning or discovering something new! It is as though the Lord has taken six thousand years of history and allowed me to personally understand and appreciate the people who have paved the way before me and become examples for me to follow or not to follow. It is as though each one of them has played a personal role that has helped me to learn about the Lord and appreciate life.
While we grow and develop, we are constantly learning and being reformed. We are like a lump of clay in the Master’s hands, and he is constantly working with us, and trying to mold us into his likeness; so that we may become holy some day. Life is a continual learning and rediscovering process.
When the Lord created Adam and Eve, he gave us a unique and wonderful opportunity, to develop a close and personal relationship with each other and him. In doing so, the Lord has opened up a window of knowledge that allows us to develop a deeper appreciation of his love for us. When a man and a woman make a commitment to each other, it is a constant learning and rediscovering process that helps them to learn about themselves, each other, and the Lord. In the Word of God it is written:
Two are better off than one, in that they have greater benefit from their earnings. For should they fall, one can raise the other; but woe betide him who is alone and falls with no companion to raise him! Further, when two lie together they are warm; but how can he who is alone get warm? Also, if one attacks, two can stand up to him…
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (Tanakh)
When we make a commitment to another human being, we are forced to lay aside selfishness and learn how to compromise and give. When a man and a woman come together, they ought to place each other on a pedestal. Then, they should try to lift each other up higher than themselves and outdo one another in love. The master bedroom and the marriage bed should be considered a sanctified and holy place. When a man and a woman come together, they need to leave the world outside of their bedroom, and they need to place each other’s needs above their own. It is not healthy for any relationship, when one person is always giving and the other person is consistently taking. A relationship needs to be give and take and made of compromise. If there is not an equal balance in the relationship; resentment and withdrawal begin to divide the marriage bed and their home. If a couple will allow themselves time, they begin to develop a deeper and personal relationship with each other and the ring of marriage becomes firm.
From the beginning, it was always the Lord’s intention, for a man and a woman to remain together. Several times in the Word of God, the Lord makes it clear that he hates divorce. It was only through the hardness of mankind that Moses permitted divorce. When we drop and change spouses sporadically, we forfeit the opportunity of developing a strong and healthy understanding of each other and the Lord. It becomes impossible to
develop physically, emotionally, or spiritually if we do not stand firm in the commitments that we make. When we exchange spouses and/or lovers frequently, then we behave no differently than the beasts in the field, who will lay with any and every likewise species. And, when we behave like this, our senses become dull and our hearts become cold.
When we make a commitment to love one another, we have an opportunity of not only growing humanly; but also to grow spiritually and becoming sensitive to the Lord and his holiness. We have an opportunity to learn about unselfish, complete, and sincere love. This is not something that is discovered on a dance floor or in a shopping mall. It is something that develops slowly, over time. It is something that’s discovered only after we have been tried like iron in the fire, and have made it through the highs and the lows of a marriage; all the while making compromises and sacrifices together.
And, if we are fortunate enough; we develop this love even further by having the opportunity of raising children together.
It is through this experience that our understanding and appreciation becomes even deeper of the Lord, because then we are given the opportunity to participate with our creator, in the creation of another human being. That's when we begin to understand the relationship that the Lord has had with each one of us, since we were infants ourselves, and then the deepest form of love begins to blossom and we learn to appreciate—Agape, the strongest love of all!
Hence a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, so that they become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24 (Torah)
