God at the Center

As we all know, February 14th is Valentine’s Day, a day when we tell those special people just how very much we love them. I was fortunate enough to meet the love of my life on June 6th, 1963, (a long time ago) on the beach at Pawley’s Island, SC. It was love at first sight for both of us. Betty and I dated for four years before we were married August 11th, 1967. Over the past 43 plus years, I have wondered many, many times how I could have been so lucky right out of the shoot. Not long after we were married, a very wise person told us that marriage is not very often a 50-50 proposition. Sometimes it is 40-60, 70-30 and sometimes it will be 0-100 or 100-0. Early on we agreed to never go to bed mad at one another. After we had children, we made an agreement that whichever one left home first had to take the children! Needless to say that never happened. We started our family in 1970 and we have two sons, both happily married. We love our daughters-in-law and they have given us two grandsons who we love deeply. Like so many of you with grandchildren, they are our joy!

For many years I was conflicted when I heard someone say that God should be first in my life. How could anything come before my family, before Betty? I would give my life to protect them. Nothing was more important. I loved God and I had turned my life over to Him, or had I?

A few years ago I read a book that was on the New Times best seller list for months, The Shack, a book of fiction. The story revolves around a man that had suffered an unspeakable tragedy and his evolving relationship with God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit. A few years ago Randy preached a powerful sermon series based on the book. It is not scripture, but one line in the book hit me like a ton of bricks. It completely changed my thought process and my relationship not only with God, but with my family as well. The line was that, God should be at the center of our lives. Everything else, family, job, associations with others, etc should revolve around God, in the same way the earth revolves around the sun. God at the center of my life! He is not way up there, but right here with me. That single revelation has made me a better husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, brother, friend, etc. I believe that by placing God at the center of my life He has given me a gift that I do not deserve. My love and devotion for my family and for others has grown to a deeper level!

God knows (so does Betty) that I am still far, far from perfect. I fight everyday to live a life that is pleasing to God. Too often, I fall short. I fight with Satan daily and much too frequently, he wins. I pray that God will save me from the enemy outside, but also from the weakness within me. But through it all, I know that I am different. God through the love of Jesus Christ is there to walk with me or to carry me when I need it. To paraphrase my favorite Bible verse, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I love Betty and my family with all my heart. I believe that endeavoring to place God at the center of my life has put my life in balance. I pray, like David in Psalm 86:11, that “God will give me an undivided heart.” I also pray that God will be patience with me. Our circumstances are not perfect. We live in a sinful world. God is forgiving, but we must bear the consequences for our sins. I know this: Jesus died for my sins, guaranteeing me eternal life with the Father. I also know The Holy Spirit is alive and moving in our world. We have seen it, haven’t we, Mt Bethel?

Happy Valentine’s Day Mt Bethel!

Ben Hornsby
Mt Bethel UMC Men’s Ministry
Office: 678-569-7886
Mobile: 678-333-1871