I hadn’t worn my wedding ring for a long time. There wasn’t a change in my marital status, but there was a change in my ring size. I had not done anything about it because I was uncomfortable letting the ring leave my possession, even temporarily. I changed my mind when someone I just met suggested a singles group for older Christians. It was time to get the ring size adjusted.
I handed the ring over to the jeweler. A week later, my ring was ready, but it didn’t look like my ring anymore: the special brush finish was gone. The ring was sent back. We went round and round for several weeks trying to restore the ring back to “wedding day” condition. A month after I let go of my ring, I held it in my hand again. The jeweler looked at me with questioning eyes. “Yes!” I proclaimed. To which the jeweler responded, “That’s what I wanted to hear.”
My new “old ring” looks beautiful. It is no longer the same as the day my husband placed it on my finger. But neither am I, as I compare the image in the mirror to the wedding day pictures from 27 years ago. The changes are not just physical. God has changed me from the inside out. God has smoothed over the many rough edges so I can do a better job of shining for Him. God has enlarged my faith by extending His hand to me for the past 20 years. I wear His mark on my life with joyful celebration of the past and the years yet to come. And I will keep saying “Yes!” to God all over again.
Hosea 2:19-20
I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD.
Snowdrops for faith 
Oh, Debbie, I just love this post so much. We are not the same; we are new creations! This is so well-written and I can just imagine how you felt at the suggestion of the singles group for “older” Christians! My, my. I bet you don’t take that ring off again!
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Donna, After the suggestion of the singles group, I quickly explained that I was indeed married. He looked at me with what I felt as pity for making excuses for my sad life of singleness. (I laughed about it later!) As always Donna, thank you for your encouragement to keep sharing my walk with the LORD including all the detours!
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God has smoothed over the many rough edges so I can do a better job of shining for Him. God has enlarged my faith by extending His hand to me for the past 20 years. I wear His mark on my life with joyful celebration of the past and the years yet to come. And I will keep saying “Yes!” to God all over again.
Hi, Debbie. Beautiful comparison of your wedding ring to that of your wonderful transformation through the years because of your faith and loving relationship with God. You are brilliantly, radiantly, positively glowing indeed and your light and joy shine brightly in this post. God bless my friend and all the best to you and your family.
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Island Traveler, You have a way with words to encourage! Thank you and may the blessings you pour out come back to settle on you and your beautiful family too!
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What a beautiful reflection on Hosea, Thank you Debbie, True Love Blossoms in hearts when Jesus does and to really commit to someone we have to commit to Him first without holding anything back or putting anything before Him.
A wedding ring is symbolic of our commitment to each other, it is unbreakable when worn just as our commitment to Jesus is when it is established in our heart Eternally.
Hosea 2:19-20
I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD.
Christian Love Always – Anne
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Anne, Your comment could be a post on this theme! I am so thankful for the Doctrine of Eternal Security!
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Yes Debbie, we can’t be unborn when we are Eternally Born Again, we have God’s seed, Adam’s is no more, the old has gone and the New has come, we have been set free.
1 John 3:9 No one who is Born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been Born of God.
1 John 5:18-20 We know that no one who is Born of God sins; but He who was Born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.
1 John 3: 1-11 ( 6-7 ) Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man/woman deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.
John 8:34-36 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
No Temptation to sin Debbie will be greater than we can bear having put our Carnal flesh to death and been Perfected in Love, we will than walk as Jesus walked in Love and righteousness.
1 John 4:17-19 Herein is our Love made Perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in Love; but Perfect Love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made Perfect in Love. We Love Him, because He first Loved us.
Blessings – Anne
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My favorite post here so far, Deb. And a lovely, SmOOth transition into the growth and changes in your own heart. Beautiful.
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Thank you Diana! It is always interesting to me which posts really seem to speak to people. I have my favorites too, but they are usually those posts where I have experienced God’s healing for a deep crisis in my life. (BTW, I love your play on words with the rings in smOOth! :))
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=)
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