Despite coming from the same church in the UK, and crossing paths for many years now, I probably know more about Anna from her blog than from sharing life together and she would probably say the same! I invited Anna to share this month not only because she is a great writer, but because I also have a lot of respect for her and her husband, Rich, and their desire to live lives that others can imitate. AND I knew you would all love to hear what she has to say too!
________________________________________________
I remember the precise moment when it clicked. The penny dropped. The scales fell from my eyes.
We’d argued. Not one of those slightly- raised- voice type of disagreements. But one of those red-raw, swollen eyed, puffy cheeked, soul-wrenching arguments.
There was no quick-fix, no easy answers, no forgiveness. And we were stuck.
And so, with resistance, we made a decision. We’d exalt our God.
Together.
Sat on separate sofas, with chilled air, the worship music played. At first we just listened, an impervious audience– it was all we could muster. And Holy Spirit thawing came and slowly, slowly, our offerings of praise were softly whispered in our hearts - heard and received by our Father. Our small, sweet sacrifices. Songs sung in our hearts overflowed out of our lips until
two broken voices sang one song.
One song.
And in that moment, where it was about neither him nor me, it became about Him.
Him, author of creation.
Him, whose love knows no bounds, no limits, no start, no end.
Him, who is without sin and does not count our sins against us.
Him, who reached out to us, before we even knew we needed to reach out to Him.
Him, who reconciled Himself to us, and asks us to reconcile with each other.
Him, who bled and died on a cross that we might stand free in forgiveness.
Him, who defeated death that we might live.
It was Him that we met. And as we gave Him our offering, we received so much more.
So much more.
Truth revealed as we met Him who is truth. Lies exposed as light shone. Love poured out without measure. And as we received His love we could give and receive love to each other. As we received His embrace we were able to give and receive the embrace of the other.
As we received His forgiveness, we were able to give and receive forgiveness from each other.
And I saw Rich’s heart laid bare. Imperfect, vulnerable, with every pulse beating for Him. And he saw my heart laid bare. Imperfect, vulnerable, with every pulse beating for Him. And in that moment I saw it afresh, true revelation:
Two souls laid bare with One heart; woven together as One before God.
As wedding vows flooded through my mind I remembered how we began this journey:
“All that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”
With those words declared before God we’d become One until death. In Christ we are One. Always. Even in the rawness of our disagreements, in the valley, or on the mountain top - wherever we are on our journey - we were, and are, always One. Joy is no longer my own. It’s Ours. Sorrow is no longer my own. It’s Ours.
Victory is no longer my own. It’s Ours. Relationships are no longer my own. They’re Ours.
We walk this Oneness hand-in-hand with Him who makes us One.
He is Our Source: Our God, the three-in-one.
___________________________________________
Anna and Rich live in Sheffield, UK with their three children, Josiah, Esther and Samuel. They are passionate about showing and sharing Jesus to their community and helping others do the same. Together they lead 3dm UK and Rich is on staff at Network Church Sheffield.
They have an awesome blog which you can read at http://annarobbo.wordpress.com/