Sitting in a commuter train at a stop, I watched as a businessman made a desperate dash from his car to the station entrance. He was nearing the boarding gate when the train began slowly moving away. I saw his shoulders sag, his stride slow and come to a stop, as he, with a resigned look on his face, stood watching while the train left him behind. Time was up it was too late. He would have to wait for the next train. I’m sure the engineer and the conductor both saw him, but schedules must be kept and even the extra fifteen seconds the commuter needed to board was fifteen seconds too long for them. His desperate exertions to catch the train were not sufficient to move them to extend him mercy.
On the wedding day, nothing seems more perfect or worthy of the other’s love than the one they are marrying. In those early days neither partner needs to be reminded that “your wish is my command.” But as time passes, a multitude of little annoyances can begin to beset marital bliss.
Grace should overlook and mercy should overrule, but too often self is overbearing with their partner. “Why do you always wear your shoes on my clean carpet?” “Why do you always overspend my budget?” The question each should be asking is, “Why am I not willing to let love ‘cover a multitude of sins’?”
There are many times in marriage when a husband or a wife will be late to the train. Then comes the test of real love will their spouse “wait an extra fifteen seconds” for them? Impatience, frustration (or worse yet, open anger) can so easily stop the flow of love, grace and mercy needed to keep the marriage union happy, growing and strong.
How we need to show that same spirit of grace in our marriages that God showed in Noah’s day! Having already in grace waited for over one hundred years while Noah testified concerning coming judgment, God mercifully waits “yet seven days.” Why? Was it not to see if any of those mocking Noah’s preaching (see 2 Peter 2:55And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; (2 Peter 2:5)) during all that time might still at the last moment come desperately running to gain entrance into the ark’s safety? If our loving God is willing to show such infinite grace and mercy to unworthy sinners, cannot a husband and wife show the spirit of loving patience towards each other?
A helpful motto containing the secret for continual marital bliss is found in the words of the Apostle Paul: “Why do ye not rather take wrong?” (1 Cor. 6:77Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? (1 Corinthians 6:7)). Indeed, husbands and wives, why don’t we? The next time the budget is overspent, try telling your wife this: “Honey, do you suppose I need to increase our budget a little bit?” It’s amazing what grace does.
Ed.