Paradise Lost
by Patricia Charlton

The union of man and women was perfect. Free from struggles that brought heartache and pain, the first marriage flourished until a deceiver planted a seed of doubt within the women. Adam and Eve were perfectly matched. Even with their peaceful surroundings, doubt and deception brought down the perfect marriage. From that moment to this very day, a wide gulf separates the man from the women.

When Adam and Eve left paradise, they changed the rules of a lasting relationship. The ease and pleasantness of love, now takes effort, determination, and a game plan to fulfill the perimeters of a perfect marriage. The joining of two distinct but opposite personalities is not for the faint hearted nor the uncommitted.

So, what is the game plan to win back the paradise losted in our marriages? After thirty-three years of marriage and many a difficult time, the Lord and I conceived this plan of action for our lasting relationship.

Commitment:
A promise is a binding contract between another. When we fail to honor our promise to another, we dishonor Christ. The day you and your spouse stood before the minister and God you promised until death due us part. The problem with the modern marriage is a willingness to throw in the towel when the going gets tough. Tough circumstances either make or break a relationship. Doubt about your partner and their love drives a wedge between the man and women. If you and I desire to overcome the deceptive doubt, you must decide what you see in your partner is what you keep. This decision results in the following action.

Trust:
Many a marriage fails because of infidelity. Once trust is broken, your partner suffers from doubtful thoughts. Trust in the faithfulness of another is the glue that binds any relationship through the difficult circumstances that plague any marriage. Trust underpins the foundations of a lasting relationship. If trust in your partner is your problem, then trust in the Lord's faithfulness to sustain your love between your partner.

Mediation:
Many a decision and heated argument from thirty-three years of marriage produced an understanding that man and women have different ideas about life. I decided many years ago that my husband has the final say in the decision making process. Many times we butt heads on a life changing decision. So, what did I do about this situation? I plead my case in the high court of appeal before the throne of God. Unfair and unfavorable decisions I left with Jesus Christ to intervene between my husband's male chauvinists attitudes and my feminist ideas. Prayer changes circumstances and peoples attitudes. Jesus observes the good, the bad, and the ugly situations in any relationship. If we want peace in paradise, we must commit the situation to the Lord and trust in his power to overcome hurt and doubt about another's love.

Praying Together:
Before the throne of grace many an argument melts away with God's grace. A couple that prayers together stays together. When a couple prays together they become vulnerable to each other and God. It gives Jesus Christ an opportunity to intervene between the deceptive forces damaging the modern conception of marriage.

Even with Adam and Eve's fall from grace, the power from Jesus Christ overcomes all the deceptive doubt between a man and women. A lasting union is possible when two people decide that commitment, trust, and a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ is their answer to a losted paradise. Then and only then, will the peace of Eden repair the damage from deception and doubt.

Copright 2008 Patricia Charlton


Devotional writer for EzraWeb and a contributing columnist for Crossmap, Patricia shares her experiences with the power of God to make anyone more than a conqueror. Her passion is Jesus and her venue is writing. Contact Patricia: [email protected]
www.devotionsfortoday.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com







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