A man and his nagging wife went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. While they were there, the wife passed away. The undertaker told the husband, “You can have her buried here in the Holy Land for $150, or we can have her shipped back to the states for $5,000.”
The husband thought about it, and told the undertaker he would have her shipped back home. The undertaker asked him, “Why would you spend $5,000 to have her shipped home when you could have a beautiful burial here, and it would only cost $150?”
The husband said, “Long ago, a man died here, and three days later, he rose from the dead. I just can’t take that chance!”
The CIA was interviewing three agents for a promotion. Two were men and one was a woman. The supervisor gathered the three candidates in a room and said to the first man, “Here’s a pistol. The job is yours if you’ll go into the next room and shoot your wife.”
The man thought about it and declined. The second man thought about it and right away said, “No way.”
The woman thought about it and said, “That’s pretty tough, I really don’t want to, but if it’s for my country, then give me the gun.”
She walked out the door and the agents heard three gunshots, and then they heard a commotion like someone was tearing up the room. They ran in, and the female agent was holding the splintered remains of a chair and her husband was lying on the floor, bleeding and battered.
The chief asked, “What happened?”
She said, “The gun had blanks, so I had to beat him with this chair.”
Marriage can get rather interesting, can’t it? It’s not always smooth, and no marriage is perfect. I know that because no perfect man or woman is available to build a perfect marriage.
Yet imperfect marriages can be healthy marriages in which love is expressed and demonstrated, forgiveness is extended, grace is offered, and vows of commitment are honored over the long haul.
One area that constantly needs work in many marriages is communication. Stuart Briscoe said that communication is hard work, and that the four hardest statements to make are (1) I was wrong (2) I’m sorry (3) I don’t know (4) I need help.
Ogden Nash wrote, “To keep your marriage burning, with love in your loving cup, whenever you’re wrong, admit it, and whenever you’re right, shut up!”
Every marriage can use a lift of encouragement, so we’re showing the outstanding movie Fireproof on Sunday, Oct. 10, at 5 p.m. in our sanctuary. Then we’re following up with the six-week Bible study, “Fireproof Your Marriage,” on Sunday mornings at 9:45 for six consecutive weeks running Oct. 17-Nov. 21.
Fireproof: Never Leave Your Partner Behind, starring Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea, is about a fireman named Caleb Holt who is having trouble in his marriage. As he and his wife prepare to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb’s dad asks his son to try an experiment, The Love Dare, a 40-day intentional devotional journey designed to enrich marriages and relight the flames of romance.
Caleb’s job is to rescue others, but now, in Fireproof, he faces his greatest challenge ever, rescuing his wife’s heart and their cooled-off marriage. The movie is humorous, dramatic, touching and uplifting.
Do you know someone whose marriage is not perfect and who could benefit from a free movie outing? Do you know someone whose marriage needs help and who could use some biblical principles to help refocus? Then clip this column and pass it along. Or, better yet, invite them to come with you. The movie is free, and open to the public.
If you’d like to enroll in the six-week Bible study, “Fireproof Your Marriage,” please call our office at 770-460-5423.
Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist, 352 McDonough Road, Fayetteville. The church family invites you to join them this Sunday for Bible study at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 10:55 a.m. Visit them on the web at www.mcdonoughroad.org.
