Till Death Do We Part -- Is There Marriage In Heaven?

Today’s Reading:
• Mark 12:18 - 37
  
• Psalm 48:1 - 14

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Mark 12:18 - 37
In my reading today I came across a verse that was very interesting to me.  I came across the same exact verse while I was reading the book of Matthew, but I wasn't ready to think about it at the time and so went a different direction with that post.  The verse is Matthew 22:30, or Mark 12:25.  In these verses Jesus said:

For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage.  In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.

This is radical thought for me, and probably for many other people also.  My whole life I've been under the misguided impression that I will have a spouse in heaven.  Which spouse, I do not know -- because I am on my second marriage after rushing into a bad first marriage.  Regardless, I always thought that I would be with my family when I entered heaven -- and that thought includes my husband.

Once again, I don't think we can even fathom how our existence will be different when we enter heaven.  The Lord won't be taking away marriage as a means to punish it.  I am certain we won't feel a loss about it, or like anything is missing. 

Here on Earth we rely upon our families -- spouse, children, parents, grandparents, etc -- to feel loved.  They are the ones we bestow the majority of our love upon.  Jesus tells us that the greatest commandments are love (Mark 12:29 - 31):

The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.  And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'  The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these.

In heaven we will be exactly as God intended us to be, perfect servants of the Lord.  If the greatest commandants are to love the Lord above all else, and to love all others as you love yourself, then there will be plenty of love to go around in heaven and I don't think any of us will feel like anything is lacking.

How does the commandment to love your neighbor as you love yourself allow room for you to love another (such a spouse) greater than you love the person who is serving the Lord right next to you? We will just have to learn to trust the Lord and take this piece of information in stride, knowing that it will not upset us after we enter heaven. It appears marriage really is "till death do we part."


Psalm 48:1 - 14
This is another psalm of the descendants of Korah.  In it they praise the Lord and lift Him up as the defender of Jerusalem. 

I long to live in a nation of people who declare the Lord to be the greatest and to be their defender.  I am thrilled that I live in the US, but even though we are "One Nation Under God", we are far from it.  I don't feel like our nation has any right to call upon God to defend it, for our nation is failing the Lord. 

People are demanding that their rights extend so far as to have to see or hear anything to do with Christianity.  The Christian people in the US are losing their simple rights to display religious items on public property, or losing the ability for their children to say "one nation, under God" while reciting the pledge of allegiance. 

Christians are losing rights while people of all other religions (or lack thereof) are gaining them.  I don't care if you don't want to participate in a Christian ritual, or you don't want to believe in God -- that's your choice.  But that doesn't mean I don't have to right to display my faith in a public setting. 

Anyway, that is just a small rant.  The real point is that it would be so lovely to truly live in "one nation under God".

There is no "Catch" to Christianity -- Christianity is Based on Love

Today's Reading:

• Matthew 22:34 - 23:12
• Psalm 27:7 - 14

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Matthew 22:34 - 23:12

"'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind'.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."  ~ Jesus Christ, Matthew 22:37-40

Christianity is based on love -- Jesus came right out and said that.  It's not a hidden secret of the bible.  You don't have to search and search to find the Love.  It's there, in the open, for all to find. 

It kills me how some people think there is some sinister purpose in those who are trying to convert others to Christianity.  I was recently talking to a skeptical friend of mine about letting the bible speak to his heart.  He then said something along the lines of "plenty of books speak to you, Hitler's speeches spoke to many people's hearts."  Ouch.  I could be wrong because I have never read one of Hitler's speeches, but I'm pretty certain that the basis of his speeches weren't love, tolerance, forgiveness and simple obedience.

I could see how people might get overwhelmed with the Old Testament. There is much judgement and condemnation and long lists of required steps to atone for sins.  The Old Testament has much value for us and does have many things to teach us.  But please realize that our covenant with God is held through the New Testament and the blood of Jesus Christ. 

I haven't found a single thing yet that makes me think I'm falling victim to a cult (yes, same person, same conversation!) or that anything bizarre is being asked of me.  Yes, it can be hard to jump off and believe in this one being who created everything.  And yes, it can be hard to take the bible as God's divine word because it went through centuries of committees and translations and seemingly man-made decisions.  I really can't help you there.  All I can say is that if you believe in God Almighty then you have to believe that He had the power to completely shape the bible as He wished it to be.

Let the bible speak to your heart.  Turn off your head and let the words speak to your spirit.  Even if you are skeptical, say a little prayer before you read for understanding and for the bible to speak to you.  Trust me, if you open your heart and do that, the bible WILL speak to you.  Love.  Love is the greatest commandment of them all.  That's not really so bad, is it?

Psalm 27:7 - 14
Here David cries to the Lord to save him from his enemies.  His enemies are sneering at him, telling him to let his God save him.  David says that he has known God from the time he came from his mother's womb and that God has been there with him always. 

God has been there for each of us, always.  The question is, have we been there for God?  Have we been willing to receive Him and let Him come to our rescue?  I feel like God has always been there for me.  I can't recall a time where I haven't known Him (that doesn't mean I've always obeyed or lived righteously!). 

I believe it would be substantially harder to find your way to the Lord after you have passed your childhood.  But it's far from impossible.  Whether you've known it or not, the Lord has been there for you since you were in your mother's womb.  Yes, I'm talking to YOU.

Conclusion
Hey -- you who I was talking about back there -- you know who you are.  I love you anyway :)

P.S.
As a friend, of course.  Don't go getting any funny ideas! Muwahaha!