By Pastor RAUL GRANILLO
Los Alamos

Understanding Women and Kings.

When I first got married, I knew the primary rule of marriage was that I was to be devoted to this one woman, alone, for the rest of my life. Of course, I was naïve about a lot of things.

I thought all this rule meant, was that other women were off limits. I dare say every husband learns quickly that there is more to it than that. For example, it would not end will if you told your wife that you preferred your mom’s cooking or her cleaning methods.

I learned a lot of serious stuff as well. My wife had her own journey through life before she met me. That journey has been an important part of her identity, so I learned to make that important to myself as well. I learned that fidelity to my wife means putting her needs before anyone else’s, including my own.

I learned that I can learn a great deal from my wife, and I learned to get excited when I do. See, it makes me a better person, all around, when I continue to learn how to better love another person. This should apply in our relationship with God.

There is a story in the second book of Samuel where King David wants to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. He had already been established as a man who loved the Lord and desired to serve God in all things. David was so excited about bringing the Ark into Jerusalem that he didn’t move it the way God had commanded it to be moved; and because of this a person died (2 Sam 6:1-11). David was discouraged, to say the least.

David then discovered where he had gone wrong and went back to move the Ark once again. This time, he followed the way God desired it to be done, and this time he succeeded in bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. When he arrived, the scriptures say that:

“David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets” (2 Samuel 6:14-15 NIV).

David wasn’t just celebrating because the Ark was in Jerusalem, David was celebrating because he had learned something new about how to please God.

Every man loves to joke about the impossibility of understanding women; but I think that every man—who loves his wife—celebrates when he learns something new that pleases her. The question is, do we get excited when we learn new ways to please God?

We can never be perfect, but why make that an excuse rather than an opportunity to grow? Just as no person should ever stop trying to find new ways to please and better love their spouse, no person should ever stop trying to find new ways to please and better love God. Incidentally, the more we please and love God, the more we will do so to others as well.

Today, tomorrow, and every day, seek to better know God and to learn from your mistakes. When you do, know that a great victory has truly been won and celebrate as David did!

Also, it turns out that, typically, she really does just want a massage.

To find out more about La Vista Church, or to hear this and other messages, visit our website at www.lavistanaz.org or email me at raul@lavistanaz.org. Follow Pastor Raul on Twitter @RaulGranillo007

Please come join us as we fix our eyes on Jesus. We meet Sundays at 9 a.m. for Sunday school and 10 a.m. for worship. Everyone is welcome!