By: Donna Martin
When Mike and I were planning our honeymoon there was no internet (Al had not invented it yet!). We wanted to take a road trip. Without the internet it took a lot of work to plan our trip. To find out about the places we wanted to visit we wrote letters to the Chamber of Commerce in those cities. In turn the Chamber of Commerce would send us brochures and information about interesting sites to visit. We also went to gas stations and bought maps so that we could find the best route to take. We carried the large maps with us in the car and my job was to read the maps and keep us on the right path. There were many wrong turns along the way especially in the big cities. After our children were born, we continued to take road trips in the summer and we taught our children to read the maps so that they could help navigate us along the way. Since that time our travels have become much easier due to the internet, and to our GPS.
In Biblical times traveling after dark would have been very tricky since there were no electrical street lights and no cars with headlights. If a person was traveling at night he needed a lamp to hold to light the way so that he would not fall into pot holes or make a wrong turn. So when the Psalmist wrote Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path,” people understood how important the words of the Bible were to keep us on the right track of life.
After the honeymoon, couples sometimes get lost in the stresses of marriage. There is a lot of adjusting that must be done when two people become one. When expectations are not met couples have to “recalculate” as they travel the road of life together. It can get difficult and messy. Since people are not perfect, couples soon find out that marriage is not as perfect as they thought it would be.
God has provided us with a GPS for life. It is His word. Psalm 119:9 states, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.” Psalm 119:11 states, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Since marriage is a lot of hard work, couples need all the help they can get. Spending time together reading the Bible can help strengthen your marriage. When children come along it is good to include them in these family devotions and teach them to follow God’s word. Spend time individually each day reading the Bible. Mark passages that are meaningful to you. Memorize scripture so that when difficulties come God can speak to you through his word that is “hidden in your heart.” Ask God to help you understand his word and read it often. You will find that it is truly a “GPS” that will guide your way.
The Martins currently present “Happy Together” marriages seminars for churches and organizations. To schedule a seminar call Michael at 940-735-1515. They also publish a weekly “Happy Together” Blog about family and marriage issues. You can order copies of their new books Dancing With Death and 366 Tidbits We Have Learned in 14,610 Days of Marriage, read, and subscribe to their “Happy Together” Blog by logging onto the Martin’s website at www.happytogethermarriage.com.