I had a dream I had to share tonight about how God honors commitments we make to people

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

I had a dream. In my dream were several Facebook friends I know who are struggling with various chronic physical or mental health problems. Each of them are married to spouses that are committed to them despite the cyclical nature of their illness. What drew me to these relationships was the knowledge that each of these couples have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ  which they tap into  when their personal human reservoir  runs dry. Just as God honors anyone who makes a commitment to ask the Savior into their hearts, God honors the commitment we make to other human beings.

Why am I writing about this?  Because we live in a transient world where we can live for years and not even get to know our neighbors, and because we enter into relationships where as soon as our spouse begins developing chronic health conditions we are incline to throw that marriage away and start over.  I had a conversation with a theologically trained friend who said something that hit me: that  the divorce rate goes exponentially higher once the couple reaches the 25th year anniversary mark.

As I reflected on that milestone a thought occurred to me that  this is a time when one or both spouses begin to experience chronic health issues.  This is a time where one or the other spouse begins looking around and then comes to the conclusion that they can do better with someone else and leave the other person behind  in the dust, in pain and shock wondering  what it was that hit them.

As I look at each of these couples who are struggling with the chronic health issue of their loved one as I look at their thriving personal relationship with the Savior I marvel that commitment and it actually encourages my own commitment to my Savior Jesus Christ.

Human beings were not meant to be cast into the garbage heap of shame once you have no use for them. God gives us the Holy Spirit to keep our reservoir filled when our personal human reservoir runs dry. On one occasion shortly after our daughter's untimely homecoming to heaven my son said that he saw that his mom and I refused to quit on our commitment to attend church, to have devotions,  and to love each other in the face of adversity and it was this fervent commitment that drew him to Jesus Christ and stay committed to Him in the face of adversity. I saw the same commitment in the couples on Facebook going through chronic health conditions.

Lastly, it says in the bible that God will never leave you or forsake you. He will never quit on you when hard times come. Won't you take some time today to praise God for the friends he has given you in this life and ask him how you can encourage them through the rough trials in this life?