The night before, he lay in the bed next to his wife, fighting his thoughts, "Everything she says bothers me. It's been like this for too long. I've just lost the love for her." He battled this audio track in his head for hours.
But now he waited for her in the restaurant. She was coming from work. His heart had been knotted all day. He decided to do his Bible reading to center himself as he waited for her. He was looking for any last message from God that might influence what he felt he finally had to do.
He had been reading through the prophets. The reading for today was Zechariah 14. He read it and set down his phone. He put his head in his hands and prayed, "I just really haven't liked what you've said for a long time either. I mean, sinners having their eyes rot in their sockets while they stand there?" He shook his head and threw up his hands. "It's been a long time since I've felt love for you too!"
Just then the host led his wife to his table. She took the chair across from him and moved it to the edge of the table close to him. As she sat down she looked at him with longing in her eyes. "This place is so cute, Babe." She grasped his hand and said, "I know last night was hard baby. I missed you, today."
He nodded as tears filled his eyes. He looked away, down by his feet for a moment. Then he picked up something. He handed her a large bouquet of flowers and a card. She read it and her eyes filled with love anew for him. She took his face into her hands, put her forehead to his and said, "I'm so sorry too, babe. I'm entirely yours still too, even through the hard seasons."
And like that they were holding each other and all the feelings were back. As the waiter set down the dinner, she leaned into him and whispered, "I think the ups and downs make this love even more real."
A moment later he prayed for their meal and his prayer included, "God, thank you that the best relationships have ups and downs. It makes our love, even more real."
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Raw Spoon, July 2, 2022
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