In my last post, I stated that:


'"A dear godly woman taught me-think of the worst outcome of the situation you are facing or the most troubling fear you have.  
Now, is God big enough?"


That is trust in HIM, who He is, His character, our relationship in Christ.
And that is the soil of joy."'


We are back to relationship.  When we marry, we do so "for better or worse, richer or poorer".  We commit to loving the other one even if age makes them less attractive, or if disease renders them helpless.  We marry them, by God's grace, committing to seek their best-not what we get out of it.


Our relationship as believers, the church, is a Bride to Christ.  
No other relationship requires more trust than a marriage.
No other relationship requires more vunerability than a marriage.
No other relationship demands as much determined faithfulness as a marriage.


In looking at the Bibical  role of the wife, we can examine godly women who were married to imprefect men.  It strikes me that godly Abraham, as Ben Patterson stated, endangers his wife and gets a lecture in ethics from a godless pharoah!


 Yet, in the end, he is called the father of a nation and is an example of faith in Hebrews 11.  Isn't grace great?


Sarai had to put her trust in God to protect her against the selfish decision of her husband.


But we are not so wed.We are betrothed to one who cannot lie for He is Truth.
He can not grow weak, as He sustains all things by His powerful Word.     
His love endures forever.
He is without shadow or turning. 
He is the same yesterday, today and forever. 


No, stop, don't tune out.  I know it may sound cliche, but consider the full implications of each of those for your life!  Secure?
When we rooted in His love, we can be "more happy, but not more secure than the souls of the blessed in heav'n!" ( A Debtor to Mercy Alone)



Are we rooted and grounded in His love?


Ephesians 3:14-21, from Biblegateway.com,


^:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^[c] 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Oddly, I could not find the hymn lyrics online for "A Debtor to Mercy Alone" that had the same last line as in our Hymns for Worship and Remembrance. A nice recording of this hymn even though the last line differs can be found at
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3GiZIai3IM&feature=related

Ben Patterson's book can be found here:  
http://www.amazon.com/Waiting-Finding-Seems-Silent-Saltshaker/dp/0830812962/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330524339&sr=8-2