Unevenly Yoked

And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer, and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.  For the unbelieving man has been sanctified by her. I Corinthians 7:13-14 NIV

This passage does not mean that the husband has become a child of God, which only happens through faith in the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus.  However, it suggests that there are blessings for the husband in being married to a Christian.  He will be encouraged to read the Bible, to go to church, to pray. Maybe, eventually, his heart will be open to the love of God. Perhaps feeling the love of his wife will make him realize that her care for him not only comes from natural affection, but also from the supernatural gifts of love that God gives us.

We are also reminded that a Christian is not tainted by being with an unbeliever, rather the unbeliever is influenced by the believer.  Our eternal life with Jesus is sealed and we are protected from the effects of the world on our souls. As Christians we can pray for walls of protection around any family or friends who are not believers.  They may never know what misery they have been saved from because of the prayers of their family and friends.  Sometimes unbelievers don’t want to hear the Good News but Christians can still be praying and showing godly character.  The sweet fragrance of their lives can only be a blessing.  It may be uncomfortable for the unbeliever if conviction of sin starts to happen, but that is the first step to salvation.

My Shepherd

I am the good shepherd: I know my sheep… John 10:14 NIV

What a comforting verse this is. Not only does Jesus recognize me as one of his flock, but he intimately knows me. He knows what makes me happy, what is challenging for me. He knows my desires and prayers. No human can ever know me as closely and fully as Jesus does. I can rest in the knowledge that he will always be watching over me, making sure that I am safe spiritually.  He may let me be pushed further than I would like,  but he won’t let me be pushed over the edge.

I had a stressful day a little while ago and as I lay in bed I could feel my chest aching. In my head, I knew that I didn’t need to be anxious but my body was still reacting in a fearful way. It was a bit of an odd experience because I was feeling pretty analytical about it. How could I get my body in line with my mind? God has such a sense of humour.  His solution was for me to have some chocolate as I read my book. No delving into Scripture or singing spiritual songs.  Nope, just a little chocolate.  It worked really quickly, and soon I was able to go to sleep without the ache in my heart. Jesus doesn’t just know my spirit, he also knows my body . Thank you, Jesus, my sweet shepherd.