Who Do You Say I Am?

Today my husband, children, and I decided it was time to set up our brand new tent for a “test run”. We are going camping in the Alps for a week with some fabulous new families we have met while living in Germany.  This is our families last “vacation” before my dear husband departs on another combat tour to Afghanistan for a year. During this “test run” I found myself becoming impatient with my husband for not seeing things the way I did. In our house, I am the more “spacial” one, while Michael is the more “patient” one. Both are necessary in a practical sense of living BUT only ONE is a fruit of the spirit. And we know being “spacial” does not qualify as a fruit of the spirit.  

Galatians 5 clearly lays this out for us:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control;against such things there is no law. 

The more we got into the tent set up, the more impatient I became. I was so impatient to the point that I was calling Michael names that are not edifying – to be more clear – names that are simply not true of him. As I was calling him one of those childish names, I began to feel convicted in a way that I had never experienced before. I knew the things I were saying to him were a “lie” because it did not line up with Ephesians 4:29: 

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” 

Then, that still small voice that I have become to know so well gently whispered this into my ear: Who do you say I am? Immediately I thought of the passages in Matthew 16:

13Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? 

I knew right then that I needed to stop, I needed to call my husband who JESUS says he is not what my silly prideful emotions were saying at that time. In Matthew 16, when Jesus asked His disciples who they said He was, Simon Peter spoke who Jesus was BY FAITH, not by what His emotions or people were telling him at the time.  He first asked the disciples who men said He was to prove a point – we don’t speak what we hear people say – we are commanded to walk by faith and not by sight. This blessed me beyond words as I sat in my yard with my husband, my best friend, whom is about to depart to Afghanistan – AGAIN – soon. Who DOES GOD SAY HE IS? 

Jesus says that my husband is: a mighty man of valor, the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, made whole by the blood of the lamb, free from sin and death, blessed and highly favored, the head of this household, a bridegroom of Christ, a peacemaker, anointed, and the list goes on and on. That’s funny, I don’t see any of the childish names on this list I was calling him while setting up the tent….oh yeah, that’s because that is NOT who he is. 

Thank you Jesus for being a constant reminder of love, peace, grace, meekness, kindness, patience, virtue, mercy, self control, and most of all – forgiveness. Jesus, your love is better than life itself – and the life you have given me is indeed blessed. I will do my best to keep your ways and honor you through my actions…..in your Holy name I declare this to be so…..AMEN.

Here are some pictures of the tent set up (that ended peacefully thanks to the conviction power of the Holy Spirit).