My Dear Friends in the Faith:
Wait!!! Don't delete this communiqué' just yet. I know that the title "My First Husband Was a Fool" is provocative to some and offensive to others. But, hear me out. This is not some eblast that bashes men. Neither is it a missive that degrades women. But, it is devotional that is deeply rooted in the liberating power of the cross. The Bible speaks three literary languages. The scriptures speak to us figuratively, literally, and symbolically. Today's devotional embraces all three of them from time to time. That is to say, in order to truly understand it you must first hear the passage, see the analogy, feel the metaphor and then internalize the principle being taught.
Here is what the Bible says in Romans 7:1-4 reads, "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God" (Romans 7:1-4, KJV).
Now imagine for a moment a very wealthy man whose name is Mr. Law. He is a good man and takes care of his family; however, he makes serious mandates on his wife all of the time to the point where the sister is married, but completely miserable. Imagine he says to her "Hey woman, I want my breakfast! I would like my pancakes cooked by hand because I hate the frozen kind. And, I would like my bacon fried extra crispy and my orange juice slightly chilled. And please remove that pulp because it gets on my nerves. And, fetch me my newspaper! Turn one side of my paper to the business section and the other side to the sports section. And get it right this time, yesterday you had the wrong section facing up. And, have all of this done by at 7am!" Can you feel it yet? Do you want to hit someone? Good!!!! Keep reading!
Now imagine Mr. Law saying to his wife, "Hey, this house is dirty! I would like my house clean when I come home from work. I mean after all who likes a dirty house. Please mop the floor, do the dishes, and get those stains off of the windows because I cannot stand that! And, since I pay all of the bills around here catch those blinds too because they really need dusting. Oh, and by the way please have the children ready for school so that they won't run late. I know we only have eight of them, but get them going on time. I know that it's difficult but you could do better if you got up an hour earlier."
While Mr. Law is a stern husband that never bends or shows compassion to his wife there is another brother in the passage. His name is Dr. Grace. He's been observing this sister in distress and He knows how to treat her. He looks from a distance. And she peeps from a distance. But she is bound by a covenant to Mr. Law. Yes, she wants out but she cannot leave. Mr. Law has his hands and commands on her. All of a sudden tragedy strikes and her husband is murdered. It was a homicide! He was taken to the outskirts of the city and nailed to a tree. It was such a sad day. The headlines of the local newspaper read like this, "Mr. Law is dead!"
But, now this sister that was miserable is now a free woman and one day while dealing with a wounded heart and a heavy load Dr. Grace catches up with her at the mall near the shoe rack. And Grace says to her, "I been watching you, but I'm not a stalker. I know your pain and I am not a physician. I want to love you like you have never been loved. But, you will have to let me do it." They exchange numbers, the courtship is brief and a wedding ensues. This sister that was married to Mr. Law with all of his demands is now the wife of Dr. Grace and things are different now!
Grace is filled with compassion, tender mercies, care, consolation and love. So in the morning instead of her fixing pancakes by hand like she did for her first husband, Grace brings her a breakfast tray and a tear rolls down her cheek. For lunch Grace calls his wife and says "What are you doing?" And, she says, "I am in the kitchen fixing lunch for you." Now imagine Grace telling her that's what you used to do when you were married to Law. I don't want that from you. I want you! So Grace says to her "don't slave over that stove meet me at our favorite spot I'd like to spend some time with you today." She arrives at the restaurant and orders her food (she's never had this kind of treatment before). But, her husband does not order. She says "aren't you hungry?" And, he says, "Yes, but when I am in your presence what was empty soon becomes full. I just want to see you be mine and know that I care about you for real!"
Dr. Grace catches his wife about to do her household chores and says to her "Baby, what are you doing? I don't want you spending your time doing that. You are my bride and my queen. I will get a house keeper to do that. Spend your time with me. That's the stuff that your old husband had you doing. I told you when I married you that it would be a new day and it is! Grace is your man now!" And when Grace comes home for the evening he says, "I don't want to watch TV when I have someone like you to look upon." Imagine Grace walking his new wife to her closet and telling her to try on different outfits while he grabs a camera for a private photo shoot. Now listen to Grace as he tells her "do you think I would want to watch TV when I have you to be near all night long. I have longed to have you. You are my prayer answered. You just what I have always wanted. I just want you to be happy! My love for you is turned on and I cannot turn it off!" Are you shouting yet?????
Here's the shouting news of this devotional. You are the woman in this passage because if you have been saved you are a part of the church and you are the bride of Christ! Your first husband was the Law of God. No, God is not a fool He is faithful! His law is perfect, for He is perfect. But no human alive can keep all of the law and when we try to keep it all because of its severe demands we end up making a fool out of ourselves. But, when Jesus died at Calvary He liberated us from the demands of the law and along came a new man! His name is GRACE!!!! Thank God for a new husband!!! Your first husband put you in bondage, but your second husband set you free. Your first husband required a sacrifice, but your second husband became a sacrifice for you. Your first husband would criticize when you made a mistake, but your second husband would lift you from your mess ups and hold you close to his mercy! Your first husband married you because he had to, but your second husband married you because he wanted you!
Grace loves you so much, treats you so good, holds you so close, provides so well, touches so softly, sings so sweetly, provides so generously, protects so fiercely and blesses so perpetually that He makes you love Him back and serve Him with all of your heart! Here's the shout of the day, Dr. Grace is Jesus Christ!!! He died to free you from the Law and to give you a love that you have never ever had before! Thank God for a new husband in Jesus Christ!!! Praise the Lord for Dr. GRACE!!!
Your Friend and His Servant,
Dr. John R. Adolph
