Release It To God

Love is patient and kind. . . . It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

God has used my wonderful husband more than anyone, not only to cheer for me, but to steer me to do things I don’t have confidence doing. “Thank You, Lord!” God also uses Mark to sharpen me. If love did not cover a multitude of sins, I’d be sunk.

Mark and I lost three precious parents in three years. When he and his brother were settling their parents’ estate much later, the only thing Mark said that he would like to have from his family’s home was the old pool table in the basement.

When he told me, I blurted out, “Where in the world are we going to put a pool table?” Inside I was thinking, That massive, worn table? I couldn’t imagine it being in our home. My remark must have sounded unkind to Mark.

The next morning when I was reading my Bible, my heart became convicted. It was almost as though I heard God saying audibly to me, If you really love your husband, you will care about the things he cares about. You will not insist on your own way.

I immediately decided to sell all our dining-room furniture, which included a table, eight of my grandmother’s chairs, a sideboard, and a china cabinet, to make room for that pool table! (I did have to let his brother know right away so the pool table wouldn’t be sold.) Months later, I was delighted with the look on Mark’s face when he saw the pool table—refelted and polished—moved in for the first time. His reaction was priceless. Mark and I both experienced joy that came from loving obedience! I haven’t missed the dining-room table at all. When we have people over, we just pull out the Ping-Pong tabletop from behind the piano, put it on top of the pool table, and cover it with a nice tablecloth, and it becomes God’s huge table!

Ask God how He wants to love others through your kindness and obedience. We all need lots of practice!