A Gift from God

Genesis 2:22 (ESV)

“And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman

And brought her to the man.”

My wife Linda is a wonderful gift from God!  That’s the meaning of these words from Genesis 2. “And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.”

I don’t tell her that near enough.  In fact I admit it – too often I take her for granted.  (Sorry honey!) But she is gone this week.  She’s in Budapest helping our son Jon, taking care of our grandson Kellan, while Jon’s wife Dora is in Indonesia for her father’s funeral.   Linda is gone and I miss her.  Now I am not saying that because this week I am having to do the dishes for myself… or cook for myself.  Doing these things by myself simply reminds me of just how much Linda does.  You walk around this apartment a while and you will soon see that Linda is everywhere.  I started in the kitchen because my wife is a great cook.  She loves trying new dishes. She has a gift for hospitality.  She loves hosting people for dinner… She is constantly making things – quilts, painted Easter Eggs, quilted balls and so forth… making them and giving them to others.  These pictures on the wall – these are of our children and grandchildren.  They are the God loving children of God that they are in large part because of Linda – her faith, her patience, her natural gifts with children.  The other day, when Jon called to ask if his mom could come and help, there was not a moment’s hesitation.  We were immediately looking for a way she could get down there to Budapest.

When I think of Linda, I understand what the Lord means in Genesis 2:18.  Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”   In Linda He gave to me the spouse perfectly suited to me.  As an extrovert I constantly speak before I think.  Thank God for Linda who thinks before she speaks, and very often keeps me from saying things I will regret.  One of God’s greatest gifts in Linda is her faith.   I am not one who likes to make change… even when I know God is calling me to make the change.  This has especially become obvious whenever God has called us to new place of service.  Making that decision to move has never been easy.  But God gave me Linda.  With every new call her faith, her encouragement, her steadiness and support have helped me to step forward and follow God’s calling.  Each time we have moved it was Linda, seeing things through the eyes of faith that helped all of us to look at that move as a new adventure. I could go on and on, relating to you how and why Linda is a gift of God to me, to our kids and grandkids.

Now the same kinds of things could be said by you about your wife, or your husband, your mom or your dad.    Each of them is a precious gift from God to you.  The question I want you to think about today is this – Why is it so infrequent that we think and say such things about our spouses?  I have recently had someone young and single point this out to me.  This person told me, “I hate to hear someone complaining about their spouse.  Don’t they realize what a blessing they have?  I would give anything to find someone like that for my life?” 

That’s my challenge to you this week.  Don’t wait till they are out of town and you miss them. Don’t wait till the Lord calls them home.  Stop and realize today – how much you love them, what a great gift from God they are.  Give thanks to God for them.  Tell them how much they mean to you.   I’ll start. “Linda I miss you.  I love you.  I thank God for you.  I can’t wait till you are home again.”