Memorable Moments Hebrews
Hebrews 13:4 ESV
Hebrews 13:4 The Message
In the final chapter the writer of Hebrews covers many different subjects. Many of the items included one line. That does not mean there wasn’t a lot of content in that one line.
Those lines packed quite a punch.
In Hebrews 13:4 we read, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”
What’s so interesting about that one line is that it becomes clear that not much has changed.
The choice of words in the English Standard Version point out it’s important to guard the sacredness of sexuality in marriage.
In other words, sexuality is set apart. It’s sacred. God created sexuality to be a sacred private thing between couples.
Years and years ago I discovered the works of Kahil Gibran and I was drawn to his works. I recently came across this beautiful poem about marriage.
On Marriage
By Kahil Gibran
“Then Almitra spoke again and said, And what of Marriage, master?
And he answered saying: You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.”
I was captivated and am drawn to his truth and honesty about marriage.
It is sacred. Treat it as such, but do not smother the flame.
Give the gift of space. Honor each other with trust.
Love deep and strong like the deep blue sea.
Honor your separateness and your individual gifts.
Dance together and dance alone.
Give love fully but leave room to celebrate who you are together and who you are when you are apart.
God created both and honors the both. At the same time God honors the one.
Honor and guard the sacred.
That includes honoring and guarding the other for who God created them to be.
God created each with intentionality.
There are no accidents.
Together and alone were both created by God.
I was fortunate enough to have parents who understood honoring together and alone. My parents were devoted to together, but they were very different. My Mom was (is) a worker bee. My dad was a contemplative soul.
They were faithful to each other. They were together.
Yet they honored the other for who God created them to be.
It worked. They made it work and God honored their union.
The day my dad went to be with Jesus was horrible for my Mom. She missed her together partner. But, because she had been honored to be who God created her to be, she knew who she was alone.
They gave each other that great gift of honoring their individuality.
They honored the other for who God created them to be.
Spiritual Practice: Together or Alone
God created both. Consider both.
In God, Deborah
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