Husbandry

Mmm so do I dare write about this stuff? I feel prompted to do so but surely this way danger lies!

So, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary last weekend. We had a lovely trip away to the hotel we spent our honeymoon night in. The hotel is a former vicarage in lovely grounds. The owner cooked us a lovely meal. The following morning as Debs got ready to go down to breakfast I found myself watching a program on Fruit Trees. They interviewed a man about the national collection of apple trees. They aim to have at least one tree of each variety. He was a mature man and gentle in his speaking. But he had a confidence about his speaking. I was struck when he referred to his work, which has been going on for many years as "Husbandry." I thought to myself then as he said it - I must think about that.

I grew up in a home where our father was absent. So I don't have an observed understanding of what a husband does. It means that I have missed some of life's lessons.

Husbandry is such a rarely used word these days I thought I would look it up. It turns out that it is an agricultural word about the judicious use of resources to get better crops etc. I am guessing that the better farmer, orchard keeper you were, the better husband you were to your wife in terms of provision.

God himself tells Israel "I have been like a husband to you" - so I find myself thinking about the last year and asking myself what I have learnt about being a husband.

A husband is there to bless his wife. To stand with her in life's storms as well as life's joys. To laugh with your wife as well as to cry with her.

Husbandry is also about making good use of the resources of the marriage for your joint mission. I am not just talking about material resources. I am also talking about spiritual gifting. God has given Debs and I complementary spiritual gifts. When we find our ministry niche as a couple we will be a blessing.

The husband might be required to be mission leader, vision holder, Holy Spirit fire starter. Debs is content for me to lead on some things and I know she leads better on others. We believe in mutual submission. Faithful love and as the song says "we are better together."

We are a House of Prayer in obedience to God's will for our life.

Debs and I keep short accounts. That is we don't let things fester when we argue and we forgive each other quickly. "don't go to bed mad - stay up and fight!" as the saying goes.

It is a year since our Australian Beach blessing (a week after our marriage). I will add a link below to what Kev Budge said at our blessing in Caloundra.

God showed me this today - Psalm 37:8-9 NIV "do not fret—it leads only to evil.  For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land"

We are called to life in all it's fullness. To embrace it with joy.

For reflection:

They say a couple relates to each other in the following five ways

Social
Sexual
Spiritual
Emotional
Intellectual

Which ways do you fit your partner? Is God calling you to do anything different today?

Dear Lord, please bless our lives and our love, make both more pure. Give us again the joy of your presence. Amen