The greatest asset unto living the Christian life, is in hearing what God is saying. Jesus made this clear when he visited seven major church centers at the end of the first century. There was a unique message to each city church along with this counsel: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying.” Rev. 2:7. When it comes to marital fruitfulness and harmony, our greatest asset is to have our hearts inclined, our hearing center attuned, to the voice of God.
We advise couples who are considering marriage, to know the history of their potential mate-to-be. A person’s history carries on into their marriage. Have they heard from God; are they hearing from God; and do you trust that they WILL hear from God when the added responsibility of marriage is placed upon them? It’s important to have a proven track record that transcends romance and all of the “putting our best foot forward” that happens during courtship. The goal is not perfection, but consistency – assets outweighing liabilities.
If the greatest asset in marriage is in hearing what the Spirit is saying, perhaps the greatest action item might be to respond with the adjustment and alignment (calibration) that is being called forth. Jesus says it perfectly: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Mt. 7:24. We know the other side of the story: “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” Mt. 7:26. I have prayed on many occasions, “Lord, re-calibrate my heart.”
What makes the greatest asset so great, is it’s depth of inclusion. If you’re a parent, think of the desire you have for your children to know how you feel about them, and multiply it by infinity. God is unrelenting in His messaging! The zeal of Christ seeks total access in my soul; what an honor. And yet, the Spirit of adoption longing to indwell me fully, at times encounters resistance from my core. In the end, the depth of the Spirit’s embrace is anchored in my depth of response.
Hearing and calibration are a dynamic duo, our greatest asset. I have journals from forty-four years of my Christian walk, documenting this process. I’m not a “first time hearer” and yet the beauty of the Spirit’s expression to my heart today retains the wonder of hearing, as if it’s the first time.
Husbands and wives solidify their greatest asset when their focus overlaps; when revelation hits the heart of the marriage simultaneously. Seasons of joint growth are the most pleasant in a marriage. Not uniformity mind you, as each person hearing God will have his or her own nuances of expression. The bottom line in my opinion, is that even though “spouse response times” may vary, each must remain resolute – to hear, respond, and build. Marriage built on the “rock of response”- hearing and obeying – will stand strong against the storms.
