Thinking on how all five families will now go about taking their lives apart and separating them into two different households reminded me of my most recent trip to Africa. Africa? I know, it seems odd, but stick with me here.
On the last day in Kenya before I boarded my plane headed back to the states, I got to take in the wonders of the Nairobi National Park. As the sun started it's ascent into the sky, our little group rode across the terrain in a safari van, gazing on zebras, giraffes, gazelles and three, yes three, lion sightings.
Now you can search for lion videos on YouTube or watch a National Geographic special on these big cats, but nothing compares to having a front row seat to these creatures unrestrained by any boundaries with only the metal siding on your vehicle separating you from them. It's awesome.
Even better was when one female decided to go in search of breakfast. I may have held my breath a little as I watched her crouch down into position, muscles gathering up energy, heart rate starting to pound before she took off after her prey. Let me repeat myself, it's awesome.
In 1 Peter 5:8, we see the very same picture painted of Satan:
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
Do not gloss over these words we were given to describe the very real and dangerous enemy that you and I share. Satan is like the lion I saw that morning. She wasn't looking to go for a leisurely jog through the grass, she wasn't there to run alongside a zebra or two in amicable companionship. No, she was there to kill. She took her time to lock in on her target and then set off at full force to tear into flesh, to lock jaws into muscles and to take down her prey. She wasn't messing around, and neither is the devil.
So, when you have those little cracks in your marriage, Satan sees it as an opportunity to slide in and stretch out making those cracks into gaping tears. He gleefully claps his hands while watching husband and wife wage war against one another over who gets the house or the retirement funds, and he is completely satisfied when a covenant marriage is reduced to shuttling children back and forth between two places in accordance with a court-ordered schedule. I'd even go so far to guess that he is licking his chops and waiting for the right moment when children of divorce start to experience trouble, because maybe the job will be easier convincing a second generation that there is no way they can succeed where their parents have failed. Better to throw in the towel and call it a loss.
This is reality. This is what I witness every day. This is discouraging, and sad, and heart-breaking.
Pray, people.
Get on your hands and knees and pray for your marriage. Pray for your friend's marriage. Pray for your family and your pastors' marriages. We are desperately in need of some intervention in the breakdown of families.
Be a source of encouragement and wisdom to your friends who are married. Do not engage in spouse bashing, but be a cheerleader for working through the tough times and focusing on the love that brought these two people together. You couples who have a few years under your belt, look for those younger couples who need mentors. Don't be fake and make it out like everything is fabulous 100% of the time, but be transparent and honest about how you've fallen, or the moments when you had to lean solely on each other and God till the days got better. Husbands, love on your wives and smother her with sweet words. Wives, wrap you arms around that man and let him know just how much you appreciate all he does. Let's be champions of double digit anniversaries that make peoples' jaws drop and say, "Wow, that's a really long time to be together. Amazing"
Let's not find satisfaction in shaking our heads in agreement about how things are falling apart, but let's be doers of the things that will help us stick together.
