House of Cards, Part Six

A month had passed since that life-changing night she found her Bible in the basement.  Thank God for friends!  As Monique joined Jake in the living room to watch M*A*S*H, she thought of Rachel across the street. 

Rachel brought her daughter over to sell Girl Scout cookies three weeks ago.  Turned out she and Rachel became good friends and they began to study the Bible together twice a week.  Rachel taught her about the free grace of God that lets us live in freedom toward God.  Monique confided her troubles to Rachel, who in turn helped her see God’s truth about love and marriage in the Bible.  She remembered how Rachel prayed with her for Jake and Gib to also make Jesus the Master of their lives.  How wonderful it would be to all stand on the same foundation together!

She especially was grateful for the words in the book of I Peter 3 that Rachel showed her.  Monique had memorized them: “Wives, in the same way, be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.  Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.  For this is the way holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.  They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master.  You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.”

Fear.  Afraid if she didn’t yell at Jake, stand up for herself, he’d walk all over her, take advantage of her.  Could she trust God to take care of her if she stepped out in faith and obeyed God’s Word?  Did that mean she didn’t have a mind of her own?  Wasn’t allowed to say what she thought and how she felt about something?  When was the time to speak up and when was the time to be quiet? 

You can speak up without yelling, Monique.  You have a right to say how you feel and what you think, to speak the truth in love.  Wow, did God just speak into her heart?  She was amazed by the peace that came over her.  Rachel had told her the Holy Spirit would speak to her and give her wisdom.  And He really did!  

God could handle her problems; change Jake and Gib.  Rachel said so, and she believed it.  Yelling and scolding, blaming and shaming hadn’t worked.  Those things only drove her and Jake further apart. 

Rachel told her that when a man is shown respect, he feels honored, which translates into feeling loved.  She also learned that a guy loves to have his girl sit with him and just “hang out” without conversation.  That was an eye-opener, and something she could do.  With all that was within her, she was committed to make her marriage work.  To ask God for help, to give her wisdom.

A question plagued her: how could she respect Jake when he continued his current lifestyle?  What did "showing respect" mean?  She would talk some more to Rachel about that scripture about being quiet and submissive.  One thing she felt certain of: God had the answer, and she would find it, somehow. 

Monique's thoughts were silent prayers as she leaned her head against the back of her cushioned chair and watched Alan Alda, Wayne Rodgers, and Loretta Swit in action. 

To be continued. . .

Copyright © 2012 Elaine Beachy