New Love
Written By: Brayden Ouellette
February 6, 2022
“Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Proverbs 3: 3-5 (ESV)
I have been in a relationship with my husband for over 3 years, and now that we’ve been married for a little over 2 months, many people have asked: “How is married life?” What a question! This question holds so many possible answers. How would you like me to respond? It’s lovely, exhilarating, normal, tiring, passionate, forgiving, refreshing… Married life can be described in so many ways! Out of all the possible descriptions I could choose, married life for me has been enlightening.
It’s amazing how much you can learn about your spouse in such a short time. For example, my husband, Ryan, gets snacky around the same time every night and his go-to snack is a bowl of cereal. So while I am getting ready to shut my tired eyes after a long day, next to me I hear the CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH sound of cereal and the TING, TING, TING of the metal spoon in a bowl. Bless him… While learning the many quirks of Ryan, I have also come to understand more about God through our marriage. After all, marriage is a direct reflection of the love that Christ has for His people. (Eph. 5:32) Just as there is a deeper relationship when you join into a sacred covenant with your spouse, there comes a similar relationship when you invite God to live in your heart.
Proclaiming the words “I do” to Christ brings a binding pledge.
“I do” weighs in with much more than just the feelings of love. Those two simple words bring along a monstrous number of responsibilities for a new spouse or a new believer in Jesus.
Proverbs 3:3 says “Let not your steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.” These new responsibilities have to become indoctrinated into your lifestyle. Notice how the verse says “tablet”. Have you ever written on a tablet of stone? I imagine it’s not easy. Each letter is carefully inscribed into the fine material of the tablet. This process takes time, discipline, and patience. Likewise, the responsibilities of a new wife and a new believer develop over time through daily practice and submission.
One responsibility that I would like to focus on today is found in Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Sometimes it's hard to let go and to trust. Especially so, when your husband’s way of thinking is completely different from yours! After finishing dinner one evening, Ryan started gathering the dirty dishes from the table to wash them. As I was cleaning the table and watching him from the corner of my eye, I noticed that the way he was cleaning the dishes was different from the way I cleaned them. I quickly walked over to the sink and started shooting off instructions! After a few minutes of giving what I thought were helpful tidbits, Ryan turned, looked me deep in the eyes and gently said, “Will you just trust me?” Ladies, I was like a deer in headlights… Ryan didn’t want my way of doing things, he just wanted my trust! If I can trust Ryan to be my partner in life and lead my family, surely I can trust him with a simple household chore.
Today, Jesus is asking this question also. He quietly listens to us in the moments of our worry, frustration, and loneliness, and says oh so sweetly, “My child, will you just trust me?”. In the midst of all the questions, trust Him. When you want to take the situation into your control, trust Him. When life is in a whirlwind, trust Him! Big and small…Trust Him!
Weekly Prayer Focus:
Let Psalm 27 be the anthem for your week. Although this psalm of David consists of only 14 verses, there are five prayers in this Psalm that you can pray this week:
Proclaim the protection of the Lord in verses 1-3.
Acknowledge the radiance and beauty of the Lord in verse 4.
Seek the face of the Lord in verses 8-10.
Lean on the wisdom of the Lord in verses 11-12.
Trust and wait on the Lord in verses 13-14.
BRADYN OUELLETTE is a newly married young adult, born and raised in the great city of San Antonio! She is currently working toward her bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio and hopes to graduate in the fall of 2022. Bradyn’s hobbies include Bible journaling, reading, cooking, running, tennis, and almost anything that includes decorating and crafting! Bradyn has had the privilege of attending Calvary Church since she was seven years old and has grown into various roles of ministry. With the mentorship and help of numerous leaders, she serves in music ministry, teaches Sunday School with her husband, and leads a girl-focused ministry called “Today’s Christian Girl” for girls ages 9-12. Bradyn also serves as an administrative assistant for Calvary Church and the South Central Texas District of the UPCI.
