Time Off

Deu 24:5  When a man takes a new wife, he is not to go out with the army or be given any 
business or work duties. He gets one year off simply to be at home making his wife happy. 

Wow-I never saw that before. What a plan, especially with the multiple wife concept. You could 
pretty much keep busy with pleasing each new wife and working on getting the next prospect for 
when the year with the present one would be up. This could definitely be the occupation of choice 
and keep one busy right up until retirement age. 
Ok, so maybe this won't be happening in the next millennium or two, but there is a heart 
expressed here, in the midst of some detailed domestic dealings, that is part of what is fulfilled in 
Christ, what is completed in Him. In fulfilling the law of love there will be an attitude expressed 
towards commitment in relationships that rearranges priorities. When there has been a solemn 
vow made to an individual, keeping that vow, and pleasing the one to whom it was made will 
come before commitments to civil service, work, or business. As binding and necessary as these 
other things might be, for there to be success in this new covenant, there must be an identity with 
it that places it above any other necessity. If one of them must go, it will not be this relational 
commitment. 
In the present day in which we live, there are so many things to occupy all of our time, including 
those things that are of legitimate necessity, like service to country and diligence to work and 
business. Here is the importance of relationship, though, in comparison to all these other things- 
take time off from them to insure its establishment and stability. Where it may not necessarily be 
possible to violate certain commitments in these other areas, once this new relationship is taken 
on, adjustments must be made in order for it to survive. There must be a heart attitude conveying 
to the loved one that nothing else comes before them, that they are of highest importance.  There 
will certainly be challenges made to the health of a relationship, but given time,  it will be 
possible to care for it and insure that the other individual is satisfied and pleased. 
Learning to live and exemplify this is one of the greatest challenges in a life of worship. To be 
like Jesus is the quest of any who follow Him, and it was His highest priority to care for the needs 
of all with whom He came in contact. As busy as He was saving the world and displaying 
miracle-working power, it was not beyond Him to take time off from His full schedule to meet 
the needs of the lowly, disabled beggar on the street. As we become more and more aware of the 
Father's presence, His desire for relationship and fellowship will also become our desire, even 
above many other things that have become an integral part of our life. In following His lead, we 
may find ourselves in a place that once might never have surrounded us, pleasing another one 
with whom He desires relationship. 
As this may be a challenge, though, there is also comfort to be found in this passage from 
Deuteronomy. It says that the young man gets a whole year off to accomplish this great task of 
pleasing his new spouse. This means that it will probably not be accomplished in a short period of 
time, but will take place over some extended period. As there may not be immediate progress 
towards exemplifying the Father's heart in any relationship, (but especially that of marriage), 
there must be patience given to the process, along with an understanding that a relationship is a 
large structure that may require a great deal of time for construction. As time is set aside to 
complete it, though, establishment of motive and purpose in the kingdom will be established in 
ways not otherwise possible. Identification with Christ will take place in a way that supercedes 
the realization of self-importance, going to the very core of who He is and what He's about. 
Equipped with this desire like that of the Father, moving with compassion to please and meet the 
need of those He loves so much will result in healing and restoration power displayed, with a 
purpose of establishing and bonding a relationship. 
"Taking time off" in the kingdom may take on a whole new meaning for those true worshipers 
who yearn to show forth His glory. R and r may mean "responsible and relational" along with 
"rest and relaxation". There is just so much time. Let our every moment be filled with awareness 
of Him and His purpose, and may each breath take us closer to union with Him and His heart's 
desire to draw every living person to Himself. 


6/21/05