The Lenten Wisdom of Willy Wonka

 “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Ps. 130:5

I cannot believe Lent has already begun.  Lent, it is known as a season of waiting.  We wait with eager expectation for Easter morning, the day our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the grave.  Though waiting for this day is, well, a bit easy isn’t it?  It is easy because we know the outcome.  We know that through the waiting there will be great celebration!

Let’s think about that for a moment because I know I need too.  Waiting for this day is easy, because we know the outcome.  But what about waiting for other things in life?  I know I am waiting for some things, and I bet you are too.  I often wonder if God has not called us to the same easy, expectant, and hopeful—wait.  Easier said than done though isn’t it, I mean really, who likes to wait!  Remember Veruca Salt from the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?   She sings a song titled, “I Want it Now.”  I wonder how often we sing the same song of Veruca Salt?  (Of course if we have seen the movie we know what happens to Veruca now don’t we?)

I marvel at the psalmist who pens, “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.”  The Hebrew word for hope here can also mean and is translated elsewhere as ‘wait.’  Try reading it again now with the word wait, “…in his word I put my wait.”  We can have an easy, expectant, and hopeful—wait.  It comes through meditating on the Word, because when we get to know the Word, we get to know God.  The more we know God, the more we learn trust Him.  Is not that what it is all about, learning to trust Him?  That’s when waiting can become easy (or maybe easier if you’re a little slow like meJ). 

Loving our Husbands

Ladies, it’s Valentine’s Day, this has stirred some questions within me about how I can better love my husband.  Maybe you can reflect and ponder this with me. 

 How can we better honor and respect our husbands today?  How can we encourage them in their quest to protect and lead us? Well, first of all, I think we can pray for them.  Pray that God grants them the courage to lead and to be courageous for us and our families.  Sometimes ladies we have to take a step back, stop nagging, and start praying! Remember what Paul tells us, "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord." Eph. 5:22 I know some of us cringe at the word 'submit' but sometimes we need too.  Pushing tends to shut people down, so we may just need to take a little step back so our husband actually can lead us. And submitting can simply be taking a step of humility, which says, "I beleive in you, I want you to lead (having realistic expectations)."  Let them know you believe in them, and not just with your words, but do it with your actions. Husbands thrive when they know they have a woman who believes in them and who doesn't have unrealistic expectations. 

Unrealistic expectations, I’m sure we have all had them at one point.  Ladies, no man can satisfy our deep longing to be valued and cherished.   No man is perfect, no man can save us. Remember, your husband/bf will never live up to every expectation, so be realistic.  Keep encouraging him as he fights for you, but also remember you have a Savior, His Name is Jesus.  When we come to this place of seeking Jesus and not our husbands to save us, we will find it's much easier for our husbands to do what they are made to do, because we won't be overbearing, demanding, and needy.  No, we will be realistic, encouraging, and understanding in our husbands faults because our hearts have found solace in who we are in Christ Jesus.  In this place, we will no longer be demanding something that no human was ever able to give us. 

Now, I have only been married 6 years but the longer I am married the more I realize my husband (and I think most men) thrive when I take a step back, walk in humility, and offer him grace as he strives to lead us.  Men crumble if their women do not believe in them, but they thrive when they know you respect and believe in them.  Show your husbands you believe in them today.  There could be a warrior inside of your man just waiting to come out.  How about being his cheerleader today instead of being overbearing and critical of his mistakes?  (Look, I have totally been there!)  This may mean we need to ask for his forgiveness.  Ladies, let’s look to Jesus first, because we will find when we do this things/marriages just get better. 

Ladies, would you join me in this prayer?

Lord Jesus, as women who desire to watch their husbands thrive and grow in their calling to love us/our family as Christ loved the Church, would you grant us the courage to serve and love them, encouraging them, supporting them, and giving them grace.  Grant our men the courage to be mighty warriors, who fight for us and their children, taking a stand for Biblical Truth and growing in godly character and humility.  Forgive us of the ways we have diminished and belittled our husbands and give us the grace to love, respect, and honor them.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.