OK, here's my absolute FAVORITE chapter in this book! I still cannot believe it when I re-read it. It illustrates
just how low the WS can go...........how far the "bottom" can truly be:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">
Luke 15:15: "And he (Prodigal son) went and joined himself to a citizen of the country, and he sent him into the field to feed his swine. And he longed to fill his stomach with the feed that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything..."
This Jewish lad
who was prohibited by law from contact with swine, found himself literally feeding pigs and living in a pig pen.
If there ever was a family that had a right to give up on a prodigal, it would be this man's family......the message here being
Don't be discourgaged if your div is imminent, or even has already become final. Reconstruction of a marriage after a div is not uncommon, unless we're listening to satan's crowd.Although many prodigals change careers while in the far country, few actually take up feeding pigs. Many prodigals do feed the pigs of alcoholism, drugs and immorality. How could God expect anyone to wait with unconditional love for such a person to come home? Only when we are able to love and be loved as Christ did for us, can we then be ready to love our Prodigals.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Personal note: I believe we like to "set ourselves above" our Prodigal mate. We like to say, "Well, I
never committed adultery, so I'm not a bad person. My WS is the one who needs forgiveness. I just don't know if I can "forgive him/her for this." Listen, we have ALL sinned and come short of His glory.
We like to look "down" on our WS and their "OP" - as tho somehow both of them
deserve to burn in hell for what they are doing. No, that's not exactly right. WE ALL DESERVE Hell's punishment! Just b/c God has saved US, but has yet to speak to our WS's heart, [b]doesn't make us any better, or "cleaner" or more "righteous" than they are in God's sight!
Remember, He sees us AS WE WILL BE! In our perfection!! NOT as we are right now. That includes our WS, too. (AND OP) <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />
If you ever want to read about a woman who had it altogether, and knew about UNconditional love, do a search for Lostva.....sometimes someone will "bump" her story up (usually in GQII, or Recovery). She was the one who first made this quote, and it made me THINK! She said, "Yes, there was a Marriage vow WH broke, A BIG ONE, but I broke plenty of vows/commandments myself."
How true.
God Bless, all,
