Could This Be *The* Year For You?
pamela spurling
“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”
---John 14.15
O, sisters in the LORD---could this be *the* year
for you?
This is when the real change will occur… when we
finally seek to know and to live the truths of God’s
Word…when we lay our lives at His feet, when we give
Him everything we've held on to: hands down... when
we accept and apply the teaching of the Lord
Jesus---demonstrating our love for Him by our
obedience to Him… When we finally reckon with: If
you love Me you will obey Me.
Could this be the year that you really get down on
your knees and confess before the only Holy and
Righteous LORD, who loves you endlessly, that you've
been trying to "go it on your own" and that you are
indeed willing that He would use you in whatever way
He would choose and that, the Holy Spirit being your
guide, you would willingly submit to His will and
His ways? Could this be the year that you allow the
Holy Spirit free reign in your life? Could this be
the year that you would seriously begin to regularly
rise early to drink from the rich well of God’s
Word? Could this be the year that you would resolve
to live in obedience to your husband---not because
of what you will gain, but because of the LORD’s
command that you do so? Could this be the year that
you would cherish the blessings of the LORD: your
children?
Could this be the year that you would redeem the
time, that you would study the Word for
yourself---that you would become a woman of the
Word, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Could this
be the year that you would wisely choose the
activities in which you would become involved,
making sure that they are in line with your
husband’s aims for your family, that they are Christ
centered and Christ honouring?
Could this be the year that you would weigh very
carefully the books you read, the places you might
go and the decisions you might make? Could this be
the year that you begin consulting your husband
before you begin new projects, from attending a
Bible study to following the leader of a weight
control program, ordering from a catalog, accepting
an invitation to another home-party, or taking on a
women’s ministry?
Could this be the year that you come home---I mean
really come home---as a servant to your husband?
Could this be the year that you daily anticipate and
prepare for the return of your husband each day?
Could this be the year that you take up those tender
things and tender ways you used to do and be for
your husband? Could this be the year that you “fall
in love all over again” with the man the LORD
created
and “fitted” you to help? Could this be the year
that your husband will never forget? Could this be
the year that you look forward to meeting his needs?
Could this be a year of fresh loving romance for you
two? Could this be the year that you anticipate
meeting his needs by getting enough rest, ordering
the evenings, eating properly and
exercising so that you are fresh for him?
(“Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the
wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind
and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at
all times; and be thou ravished always with her
love.” -Proverbs 5.18-19)
Oh, if your love for your husband has decreased, if
your desire for him has gone... pray the LORD will
help you delight in him once again, pray He will
love your husband through you and that you will once
again desire him. God is a God of miracles, nothing
is too hard for the LORD. (Jeremiah 32.27 "Behold,
I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any
thing too hard for me?")
Could this be the year that you would determine to
be a contented wife, I mean really
contented---content with him, his salary, your home,
your automobile, your possessions? (Hebrews
13.5) I have heard many many times, there is nothing
that pleases a man more than a contented wife… he
can deal with a little clutter from time to time, he
can deal with a little overweight, he can deal with
delayed dinner, a forgotten appointment---but a
discontented wife closes off the spirit of the man
and drives him away.
Could this be the year that you come home---I mean
really come home---as a servant to your family?
Could this be the year that they know without doubt
that you love them and *desire* to serve them, teach
them, help them, prepare a home for them, are not
inconvenienced by them, are not tired of them, are
not waiting for them to hurry up and grow up so that
you can get on with your life? If you’re a mama…
this *is* your life. Could this be the year that
you will *enjoy* what God has designed for you?
(“He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to
be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the
LORD.”---Psalms 113.9) O, if your gladness or
desire has waned, pray the LORD will restore your
love for the children... pray that He will help you
see them as He sees them---as blessings. He loves
children... and He will help you love them...
(Genesis 18.14 "Is any thing too hard for the
LORD?...") You can trust Him to help you
love them the way He wants you to love them and care
for them as He would have you to care for them.
He can restore your love for them
— for motherhood and
for your home.
You know, my sweet sisters in the LORD… this could
be *the year* for each one of us. This could be the
year that we all come home… and *do* those things we
know that the LORD has directed in His Holy Word.
2Timothy 3.14-17
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast
learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom
thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou
hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to
make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is
in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Could this be the year of obedience---regardless of
what others say or think or do?
Once again the Lord Jesus said: "If ye love me, keep
my commandments."
—John 14.15
As we embark on another year, I pray that you would
join me in seeking all the above
— that you would
join me in truly seeking to be an obedient woman,
keeping the commandments of the Lord Jesus,
following Him, delighting also in Him: earnestly
seeking Him.
With love to you, In Jesus---pamela spurling
rewritten 2006
