Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, November 30, 2019
Shabbat Shalom *|FNAME|*,
I pray you all had a most pleasant Thanksgiving Day. I am thankful for the time with my family in Charlotte. I’m returning to Knoxville on Friday and scheduled to bring the message on Shabbat.
The message on Shabbat morning, November 30th, will be taken from Philippians, chapters 3 and 4. In studying these two chapters, I’ve found 10 commandments God has for us in each chapter. This makes 20 commandments which is a double portion. Fitting for Thanksgiving weekend, don’t you agree? The challenge will be to watch me fit it into a 30 minute message. I’m looking forward to it.
I want to share something that became a topic of discussion at our Thanksgiving table yesterday. What makes a marriage work? In the discussion that followed I remembered a key lesson my late wife, Ann, taught me early on in our 42 year marriage.
Rabbi Trail: Ann was my first wife (I’ve only had one), but I was her third husband. I remember celebrating with her when we realized we were married to each other longer than she was married to both of those other guys combined. Then it was much longer. End RT.
Ann had to sit me down and teach me the level of commitment necessary to have a successful marriage. She said that when you marry someone, that person becomes the most important person in your life, second to no one.
When we got married, Ann had two children. She looked me square in the eye and said, “You are more important to me than my children or my parents.” Then she said, “Now you tell me how important I am to you.” I replied, “You are more important to me than my parents or my siblings or anyone else on the face of the earth.” Then I asked one more question, “Did I get it right?”
This is all based on a Biblical principles found early in Genesis. Genesis 2:24 This is why a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife; and they become one flesh.
You might say, “Isn’t God more important?” First, God is not a person. Second, God informs our marriage and every other relationship. God says, Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do (including every relationship), work at it from the soul, as for the Lord and not for people.
Let’s get this right… 1 Peter 3:7 In the same way, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way. Though they are weaker partners, honor them as equal heirs of the grace of life. In this way, your prayers will not be hindered.
Shabbat Shalom (again).