"I asked the lady how they had been getting along since our little meeting. Her face lighted up, and she cried, "Oh, our home is the happiest home, and there is not a better husband in the world than my husband."
"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8.
Like many others, I once looked upon the law as being negative, a constant demand not to do certain things. Of course this dolorous approach pleases his Satanic Majesty, for he hates the law of God. As we study the Bible, we see how positively contrary that theory is to the truth. The law places a loving wall of protection around every child of God. If we loved God as He loves us, we would look with horror and loathing upon everything that He forbids in this law.
Some years ago I was holding meetings in a large city. One evening at the close of the sermon a woman came to talk with me about her husband. He was a businessman and a member of the church, but she felt that he was becoming so absorbed in his work that he was neglecting his Christian experience and gradually drifting away from the Lord. She requested me to visit him and see whether I could help him.
The next afternoon I called at his place of business. He was a friendly man and greeted me cordially, making me feel kindly toward him at once. After visiting with him a few moments, I mentioned my talk with his wife and her anxiety concerning him, and his attitude changed at once. He began to tell me of the serious problems he had in his home, finally declaring that it was impossible for him to continue with his wife, and he did not intend to do so. I was very much distressed over the situation; and that evening, after the meeting, I asked them whether they would meet me the next afternoon. They agreed.
I earnestly hoped and prayed that after talking these matters over frankly, permitting each one to mention the difficulties which were causing trouble, they would acknowledge where they had been wrong, and the differences would be settled.
They came at the appointed time, and I asked the lady to present her view of the situation first. She did so, and then her husband stated his side of the question. I had hoped that as each point was presented and discussed kindly and frankly, the one at fault would recognize and acknowledge the wrong and make it right. But my concern increased moment by moment, as they seemed to get farther and farther apart.
Finally in desperation I said to them, "My dear friends, I think your case is hopeless. If you would both confess your sins to God, and your faults to each other, and would ask for forgiveness, the Lord would pardon you, and you could go home reconciled and happy and live real Christian lives; but if you continue your present course, I see no hope for you."
They seemed to sense their serious situation, and we knelt to pray. I have never forgotten those prayers. The man wept and confessed his sins, humbly and earnestly praying God to forgive him and create in him a new heart; and God answered his prayer. Then his wife prayed, confessing her wrongs and pleading with God for a new heart. When we arose and they embraced each other, we were conscious of the presence of the Saviour. The room seemed filled with the atmosphere of heaven.
Some weeks later I visited their church, and after the service I asked the lady how they had been getting along since our little meeting. Her face lighted up, and she cried, "Oh, our home is the happiest home, and there is not a better husband in the world than my husband."
Then I found the man and asked him the same question and was thrilled by his reply. He said, "Our home is just a little heaven, and really my wife is an angel. There isn't a better wife in the world than she is."
"For he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." It is heaven where God is because there all is love, and love is the fulfilling of the law. When our hearts are possessed with that love, it is heaven in our hearts, and thus heaven may begin in this life and may be in our home and our church.