Lie #2

The problem with expectations is that, when they fall apart, we are left questioning,  maybe even blaming.  Americans tend to believe that God wants us to be happy.  When we are not happy, we may blame someone, even God Himself. 

Here, I present Lie #2:

I will get to grow old with my spouse.

There is no doubt that I HOPE to grow old with my spouse.  It is a different thing entirely to EXPECT it.  Would you question God and His Divine purpose if your spouse were to die suddenly tomorrow?  Would you curse or hate Him?

(Incidentally I do not believe that God's purpose is to ensure my happiness.)

In Luke 20, the Sadducees try to stump Jesus with a pickle of a question.  I guess when you are a Sadducee, you hang out with your Sadducee buddies and debate various legalities.  I'll defer to Luke's storytelling:

28 "Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?" (Wow.  Kind of makes you wonder if they had a real-life application for this.  Doubtful.)

34 Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.


Does this mean that there will be no marriage in Heaven?  When I first read that, I was troubled. It seemed incongruent with the character of God.

The crux of the Old Testament is that God seeks out His people, creates a covenant bond with Israel, and remains faithful to that covenant despite Israel's unfaithfulness.  God also created the covenant of marriage, and expects us to keep that covenant as well.  Mark 10 says that "a man shall leave his father and mother 8  and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.  9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate" (emphasis mine).  

Does this mean that God can separate us?   
Would God separate us?

I love my husband Jon, and he is a monumental blessing in my life.  I do not believe that our lives are done when Jon and I depart this earth, thanks to the grace bestowed upon us by God through the death and resurrection of His son.  But I am not certain whether we will be husband and wife in Heaven; scripture may suggest otherwise.  But this I know:  God is everything good.  The things I love about Jon are, in a way, a reflection of part of the character of God.  Jon is the embodiment of blessing to me from God.  When my turn comes to meet my Maker, I will be in the presence of everything good, and will be at peace, and that is all that matters.

But I digress.

Does the world tell me that I will get to grow old with my spouse?
Do we expect it in such a way that we question our Maker when our spouse is taken from us 'before their time?'
What do you think?