A Friend In Need.....

For the past few days in the midst of hectic schedule and good times, I am also buoyed and distressed by a situation my childhood friend from halfway at the other end of the continent is going through. It is the most dreaded situation and a living nightmare of every married couple ~the prospect of a marriage heading towards the rock.

Prior to this, it was during one of my quiet times that I felt that I needed to pray for this couple and I just obeyed. I have learnt during one of my cell group lesson the need for us to to be sensitive towards the Holy Spirit when we are in our quiet times. [ Thank you so much, Bro.Paul Tiong for teaching us this beautiful lesson! ] It was during this time too that I was able to sent an email halfway through the continent to get the message to this childhood friend of mine. I have met and been with this couple for some time and never in my wildest dream felt that they would face such a dilema today in their lives. In fact, there was a time when this couple was on holiday, they were the ones who advised me to be more concern and not take Soon Ling for granted. To me, at that time, I didn't see that I was not treating Soon Ling right and with respect. I took their advices in good faith and the rest is history. You see, relationship between a couple is a funny thing. You don't see the problems in front of you until some one else highlights it to you.

You bet that I am concerned over what had happened to this couple. I could only offer my limited marriage experience and pray that God will provide the rest. I am glad that my close friend acknowledges the sacred vow of marriage ~ "for better and for worst. Till death do us apart" and that God is our witness during our marriage. I know that my good friend is shattered by the initiation of divorce proceedings while I was informed that the two marriage counselling sessions worsened the situation. Honestly, I am not interested to know who is right and who is wrong because blame for failed relationship should not be shouldered by only one party. Both are equally at fault, as far as I am concerned and there is a need for them to seek the best healer in their lives, God, the Father.

Yunno, sometimes, married couples would have to look deep into themselves to understand the true meaning of the union of two completely different individuals to become one in holy matrimony. Many a times, we bring so much garbage and baggage from our previous lives or relationship and dumps them in our married relationship. We need to learn what is important - forgiveness, truth and death to the word "me" and propel the word "we". Look! Don't start finger pointing games because there is no end to finger pointing! Marriage is about sacrifice, patience, adapting to one another and taking stock of the storms in life. Maybe, you would say to me , "It's easier said than done" but I want to say that it is possible. Give it a try. Work out and iron out the issues in your marriage and learn that your marriage is so sacred. Let no one , no thing nor the evil one to come between your respective spouses. Learn to look at the happier times in your life when sharing your life with your spouses rather than dwell on the difficult times. There must be more good than bad in your relationship. Take the good part and make it better while make the bad times a lesson for a better life ahead.

So, today, I desperately appeal to you, my friends wherever you are, say a little prayer in your quiet times for my childhood friend, P & A [ initials only,ok?] so that God would intervene in their lives and heal their marriage! I really appeal to you ~ thank you so much!