Today’s Chapter: Psalm 2

Today’s verse: Psalm 2:11 (CSB) “Serve the LORD with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling.”

Goal- serve the Lord, reverence Him, be in awe as you consider Him to be a vital part of your marriage.

Most parents purchase a tricycle for their child before getting them a bicycle. A tricycle is built to provide balance and graceful movement. It allows small children who aren’t able to balance a bicycle the ease of riding without the risk of injury.

A tricycle allows a child to develop balance, coordination, the confidence to ride, have fun and play while eliminating the fear of falling. It is a wise choice and the sensible thing to do. Parents want their children to enjoy their childhood without having to worry about: cuts, bruises, scrapes and other injuries.

The same is true with marriages. To reduce the risk of falling, sustaining injury and eliminating fear we need a tricycle. That is, three wheels operating in unison to ensure balance and grace. Yes, grace the opposite of clumsy and grace unmerited favor from God.

The most important component of a graceful marriage is God. It is He who binds us together with unbreakable cords of love. He prevents us from falling over even though we are incapable of maintaining our own balance.

In troublesome times when the road gets bumpy and we are tempted to be clumsy spouses He makes the way appear smooth and covers us with His grace-His unmerited favor.

The trick to a healthy marriage is to never upgrade to a bicycle. Upgrading to a bicycle means that you and your spouse plan to go it alone without God.

Psalm 2 was an instruction for kings and rulers to focus on God rather than on themselves and to acknowledge His power rather than seek power for themselves.

We ought not to make the same mistakes that the kings and rulers of old made. They wanted all the power for themselves and they wanted to exclude God from the equation.

Riding a bicycle will say to everyone that you have mastered the art of balance and you can gracefully ride without any help from a third wheel. This is a great developmental milestone for a growing child but it’s a recipe for disaster in any marriage.

Don’t try to claim all the praise for yourself. It is not you or your spouse that makes your marriage the success that it is. You were not the one that woke your spouse every morning for the past 25 years so he could be early for work. That was actually God.

You fed him healthy food but it is God who gives and sustains his health. You showered him with love and adoration but that was just you reflecting the third wheel in your marriage. God is love-love is God.

Don’t awe yourself thinking that you have done it for twenty five years and counting. Don’t be like the kings and rulers of old who wanted the power and the praise for themselves. Instead, forget about that bicycle.

Stay on your tricycle!

Keep God at the center of your marriage as you serve Him with reverential awe and rejoice that He has allowed your marriage to stay the test of time.