Discussion Questions:
1.) In the first page of this week's reading, Elisabeth mentions a line of a hymn which Jim underlined in a hymnal he had given her. The hymn itself poses a big question for us: "Have I an object, Lord, below, which would divide my heart with Thee?" How do we best understand when our hearts are divided? Marriage itself was designed by God. Is it possible to truly love an earthly man while maintaining an undivided, steadfast love for the Father? What "objects," other than young men, do we allow to divide our hearts?
2.) On page 133, she quotes William Wilberforce who said, "Measure your progress by your experience of the love of God and its exercise before men." What we must ask ourselves, and perhaps rhetorically, is this: Do our earthly relationships help us to experience more of God and aid us in exercising His love before others, or are they hindrances which divide our hearts with Him?
3.) Elisabeth understood real love to mean being willing to step away from Jim if it would better help him to fulfill the will of God for his life. Are we willing to completely step away, or even step back, to allow God to be glorified even if it means we lose someone?
4.) Page 137: "Jim Elliot was a man. Men are sinners. That was the simple truth." Do we expect perfection from the men in our lives? How can the concept of preaching the gospel to ourselves be extended to preaching the gospel to our relationships, romantic or not? How would our actions look different if we remembered that we are all incapable of good aside from the grace of God?
1. Is it possible to love God with our whole hearts while loving a man in marriage? Absolutely! God designed us to love one another, afterall, Jesus Christ loved us while we were still sinners, and loved God through obedience in dying on the cross. Had Jesus loved His Father without loving us, it would have been pointless, likewise had He loved us without loving the Father it would have made the love He had for us powerless. Our love for others, even the one we marry, comes from an overflow of God's love. However, our hearts can become divided when we set our hearts on a person, pleasing that person, yearning for a person, instead of yearning for our Savior. Other heart dividers are loneliness, popularity, physical apperance, money, etc.
ReplyDelete3. Am I willing? Yes. Is it easy? no! Speaking from experience!
4. Hannah, I think I recently talked to you about this (maybe??) but how I have expected perfection from a past relationship and when I was disappointed I walked away. SInce then I have realized my weaknesses, my struggles, and my mistakes, and am praying that some day I will be able to show grace to my husband (Lord Willing) because of the grace that I have been shown from God. AND that my husband will show grace to me in the many mistakes that I will make. Preaching the gospel to myself reminds me of my depravity and my desparate need for Jesus' righteousness.
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