I often tell my husband how lucky he is that I’m a pretty low-maintenance wife, at least in terms of what I need from him in our relationship. (But, I’m not sure why his reaction is to chuckle at that.)
Truly, a little goes such a long way for me, especially as I know well the demands and struggles of our duties, day in and day out. I don’t need hours of his undivided attention. Truly! A moment, a gesture, or some small intimacy that says, ‘I see you and you are mine. I’m in this with you.’ A random text, a rub on the back, a kiss on the cheek, a ‘thank you for serving us, can’t wait until date night when I get you all to myself!’ (OK that one is getting greedy, but you get the idea.)
I’m pretty low maintenance and also busy like he is! To help us stay connected, we started a mini-date routine and now I set the alarm each morning before we have to get the household moving, so we can have some quiet time together. It isn’t a lot, but it sets the tone for our whole day and I cherish those moments with my beloved! But, the other morning, I couldn’t help myself and I hit the snooze button on the alarm, so we slept through ‘our time.’ When I woke up, I realized what I had done, but was still hopeful we could sneak a few minutes together since it was a rare day that neither of us had to bolt out the door with our kids. So, I hurried to our spot eagerly waiting for him to join me full of expectation and joy to share things with him. And I waited. But he didn’t show. I kept thinking, ‘Surely he will be right in,’ but he wasn’t. Before I knew it, time was up and I was sad and let down that we didn’t get a ‘date.’ Duty called and he put it before me. (Of course, I never once communicated my expectation to him, but that’s a different post!)
In my gloom, I immediately thought of my greatest love with God, from whom all love and relationships flow, and how often I treat Him with the same lack of intentionality. How often do I pick up my phone and let duty call in the morning even before greeting Him? Before thanking Him. Before acknowledging the greatest gift and love I could ever know. Sure, He understands. He’s God. And let’s be serious, I need intimacy with Him more than He needs it with me. How often does He await me in ‘our spot’ and I don’t show?
I was disappointed and let down by my husband’s no-show because I knew the day would march on and I would feel more alone and disconnected than usual. The same is even more true for my time with my Lord. Imagine what life would be if we greeted the day with fervor and excitement to spend a few minutes of quality time with the God of every detail of our lives. Everything else pales in comparison. God really is the most low-maintenance spouse of all!
“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” St. Augustine of Hippo
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