You know, Walt led us astray. As young girls, we're filled with the notion that Prince Charming is going to ride in on a white stallion and save us. We get married clutching tightly to this dream. And then real life happens.
Maybe after a long hard day with the kids you're waiting for your prince to swoop in on his white horse, only to have him call and say he has to work late. Maybe you want him to slay that dragon that is bothering you, and he just says "I'm sure you can handle it" and kisses you on the forehead as he walks out the door with his golf bag over his shoulder. Maybe you have unfair expectations of your husband?
I recently stumbled upon this verse in my quiet time:
Psalm 146:3 "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save you."
Wow. Walt Disney was wrong. The verse goes on to tell us who we should put our trust in:
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. (Psalm 146:5)
When you count on your husband to make all your dreams come true, you are giving him too high and lofty a goal to live up to. Then strife occurs. How could it not?
This week as I blog on marriage, I urge you to look to the true and only prince, the Prince of Peace. He can meet your every need, leaving you satisfied to be the loving wife your husband needs. And at the end times, he will be the one riding in on the white horse. Then we'll live happily ever after.
Isaiah 9:6 -- For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Psalm 121:1, 2 -- I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Revelation 19:11 -- I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.
24 comments:
This is so very important..and I need the reminder often. As a child, high expectations were placed upon me...therefore, I tend to place high expectations on my husband and kids.. and its sooo WRONG!! Its a struggle, but I know God will get me through it and will gradually change my ways.
Fairy godmothers aren't that much help either. That magical moment with the prince only lasted a night, and then Cinderella was returned to rags. She was actually content....until that shoe turned up missing and started the whole thing over again.
Walt would probably say that Cinderella's good triumphed over her family's evil and she earned the prince as a reward. Don't go there either Christian ladies! That's not exactly right.
But, then, fairy tales are not the Truth. Once upon a time, in the beginning......
OK, the golf bag reference almost made me lose it!
This is such a true post!! I often have the wrong expectation of my loved one and then I seem to set myself up for disappointment.
I will try to remember that Jesus is my true prince!
Love,
Sonya
Oh thank you for blogging on marriage this week! I love this post! The media, movies, books, and songs on the radio all give us unreal expectations about romantic love-surely this does play a role in the rates of failed marriages. Your blog brings home the message that only God can give us a perfect love not a person. May many be blessed by your post today!
Now you know that if you are blogging on marriages this week, I won't be able to add any wonderful advise....and perhaps won't even be able to relate.
But I'll keep reading.
Thanks for reminding me that at the end of times, it will be Jesus who rides up on that white horse and that we will live happily ever after.
In my bio on our church website, it states that I grew up at Disneyland but my life was no fairytale. How true your post is.
We really cannot put our hopes in or expectations on anyone. God is the only Prince who can save us.
This is amazing.. I just recently realized I was holding my husband to the same expectation. Not until he had to work out of town and I focused on my relationship with Christ did I realize how wrong I was... this should be something we teach our girls.
Great post!!
Well being single all of my life I can only attest to the fact that my God, my Prince, my King, my very real El Shaddai is most assuredly Enough.
Even though I would like the companionship, and some of the other benefits of marriage, God has shown me that He is all that I need.
The first time I heard the Name El Shaddai the meaning given was "The God who is enough." He is.
Great topic CK.
(That was my deleted post above due to a typo.)
Great post, Kelly! Our husbands, as wonderful as they can be, are children of God as well. And, sometimes, they can act like children--but so do we! Thank goodness the Prince of Peace will one day be there for us all.
Hugs,
Susan
Hey you popped my bubble!
LOL, just kidding. I can't wait to see your posts about marriage.
I love that. How true! I have learned in 24 years of marriage that my wonderful husband is not there to fulfill my every want and need; That is a role for God alone. You know, it takes a ton of pressure off of the man and the woman when we lower our expectations a little and let each other just be who they are. God is our provider and our source of strength. The roles of the husband and wife are to support each other and stay strong together through a relationship with Christ. Looking forward to your other posts on this subject of marriage!
Love ya,
Starr
When we keep our expectations low...God always blows us out of the water...by what He does through an individual!
How true your words are. And it's not just our spouses we expect so much from. We can look to our parents, friends, children and other family members to meet our expectations and then feel crushed when they don't.
Thanks for the reminder to remember who our true Prince is.
I look forward to reading more about marriage in your upcoming posts.
Boy, we could do Disney analogies all day! The Little Mermaid giving up what her dad knew was best for her to chase something that would change her completely. Jasmine willing to give up the kingdom and all its riches for Aladdin. I think Nala had it right. She hunted Simba down and said "Get back to work" - Now there's our real example :)
The previous comments have pretty much covered my thoughts. If it were required to truly understand the covenant love that Christ has for us BEFORE we entered into the covenent of marriage, it would change everything. I have been studying covenant love in the past fews and it is so powerful. And has nothing to do with the dish the world offers up as love.
Amen, dear sister!
I know God uses my husband to provide for our family. I value his wisdom and insight. Don't want to attempt this parenting thing without him!
But my husband is just a man. He is not God and will never truly fulfill me, as God alone can.
And I think it's unfair for us to place those kinds of expectations on them.
Yes, some day my prince will come. His name is Jesus. And I can't wait to see Him!!!
Until that day, I will treasure the man He has given me here on the earth and I will do my best to be a loving and respectful wife.
Thanks!
I have been reading a Liz Curtis Higgs novel set (I'm on "Whence Came a Prince"..eerie...) And all the while been thinking my husband should be more...well...more like a romance novel...this is a very timely blog post...
Thanks for the reminder of the Truth on which Prince I should be turning to..
Great post Kelly! Everyone above has pretty much covered anything I wanted to say.
except....
How big are your coffee mugs? I halved the recipe (well, sort of, can't really halve an egg) and it filled my mug perfectly. I'm now half way through my cake in a mug, feeling a little unwell, but it was worth it! Now...I just have to stop eating before I really do feel sick...just one more bite.
Whenever I'm tempted to think of my husband as a prince that should save me and provide me with a happily ever after, I remember that if he's a prince then I have to be one of those perfect glamour queens like Cinderella or Snow White. Uh...better stick to letting God be my prince!
Wait . . . you mean my husband isn't a prince - he had me fooled. I guess if we were perfect, we'd be in heaven - but he's darn close.
;-) and that's after more the 25 years of marriage.
You know, Kelly, I know mature Christian women who are still holding out for an earthly prince. I just can't get why they don't get it yet.
Just dropping by from Lysa T's blog to say "hello!" Love your post; what a great reminder!!! The Scripture verses are perfect. Blessings & JOY, Amy in OR
You are going to be in the next P31 mag? Oh, yippeee...I am so excited, and I will pounce on the mailbox right with you. :)
I found you from Lysa's blog as well.
What you write is so true. I have been married for 25 years now and for too many of those years I tried to make my husband my rescuer. It never worked. He could not give me the value I needed nor rescue me.
How grateful I am that Papa God has come for me and opened my eyes to see.
Thanks for sharing,
It's nice to meet you,
julie
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