Meditation on being Married 35 years!

By: Steve Hill

This year Marilyn and I will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. In many books that is a long time! But if we live as long as our fathers, that puts us a little over half way through our relationship! Marilyn's Dad is 85 (her Mom is 75) and he still goes golfing, hunting and fishing. My Dad is 80 (my Mom is 76) and he still does hours of volunteer work and splits cords of wood.

Halfway! It has been a wonderful adventure but we have a long ways to go yet in the grace of God. Long range perspective is the challenge! Many throw away their future joy and fulfillment for a moment's gratification. What will your children and your grandchildren think of you?

Many more throw away their future simply by always doing what they have always done even though it does not produce the stated result. Some say that is a definition of insanity!

Where do you want to be 5 years from now?

I asked that to a friend some time ago in the context of his involvement in the Kingdom of God. Do you want to look back at another 260 Sunday meetings and 12 conferences? Or do you want to look at sons and grandsons in God?

Leaders will say you are faithful if you attend all their meetings. The more who listen to them preach, the better they feel about themselves! But Jesus did not say, "Follow me and you will attend endless meetings!"

Some of the most faithful people in attendance at the meetings are those least filled with faith. They have been institutionalized. Their sense of worth, duty, fulfillment, responsibility is fulfilled by simply attending the meetings.

The promise of Jesus was that if we followed Him, He would make us "fishers of men". We cannot do that in a meeting! His command was that we were to "make disciples". He was accused of being "a friend of sinners". Could we be charged with the same offense? The religious leaders were angry that He would not serve their institutions!

Friendship is the foundation of winning and making disciples. The only requirement? Time invested in other lives. Time for meetings? Time for seminars? No time for people around you? Spiritual maturity is not how much you know. Spiritual maturity is fruitfulness- do you have disciples? Are they making disciples?

Where will you be five years from now?

Wrapping up another 260 meetings or releasing spiritual sons and daughters to their destiny to release the next generations of Jesus Christ?

Success is in the grandchildren!

Go for it!

Steve & Marilyn Hill