March 5
Marvin’s
Wake-Up Call
“May your fountain be blessed.
May the wife you married when you were young make you happy.
She is like a loving doe, a graceful deer.
May her breasts always satisfy you.
May you always be captured by her love.”
Proverbs 5:18-19, NIrV
Marvin had always loved the thrill of the nightlife. His friends admired his charm, and strangers were drawn to his easy confidence. Though married to his college sweetheart, Anna, Marvin had found himself justifying his choices: the flirtations, the secret text messages, and the occasional late nights he avoided explaining. "Anna's too busy with work to notice," he’d tell himself.
But deep down, Marvin knew the guilt wasn’t going away.
One evening, Marvin bumped into an old friend, Steve, at a restaurant. Steve, who had once been Marvin's partner-in-crime at bars, looked different—calmer, settled. They talked for a while, and Steve shared how he had nearly lost his wife before choosing to rebuild his marriage through faith and commitment.
“You ever think about how lucky you are to have Anna?” Steve asked. “I almost lost everything because I took my wife for granted. Don’t make the same mistake I did.”
Marvin’s stomach churned as Steve spoke. That night, he tossed and turned, unable to ignore the growing weight on his chest.
The next day, Marvin found himself flipping through Anna’s Bible, something he hadn’t touched in years. His eyes landed on Proverbs 5:18-19:
“May your fountain be blessed. May the wife you married when you were young make you happy. She is like a loving doe, a graceful deer. May her breasts always satisfy you. May you always be captured by her love.”
Marvin realized he had lost sight of the precious gift Anna was in his life. The guilt finally overwhelmed him. That evening, as they sat in the living room, Marvin turned to Anna. “Can we talk?”
Anna looked up from her book, startled. Marvin confessed everything—his behavior, his selfishness, and his regret. Tears streamed down his face as he apologized, but Anna’s reaction was not what he had hoped for.
She was enraged. “How could you do this to me, Marvin?” she demanded, standing up and pacing the room. “Do you know how humiliating this is? How much you’ve hurt me?”
Marvin had no defense. He could only say, “I’m so sorry, Anna. I know I’ve broken your trust. I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right.”
Anna pointed to the sofa. “You can sleep there tonight.”
For weeks, the atmosphere in their home was tense. Anna barely spoke to him, and Marvin gave her the space she needed. One day, Anna suggested they try marriage counseling. “If we’re going to fix this, you need to understand how much damage you’ve done,” she said firmly.
Marvin agreed without hesitation. He attended every session, listening to Anna’s pain and facing the truth about his actions. The process was grueling, but with time, they began to rebuild their trust. Marvin also started attending a men’s group at a local church, where he learned more about God’s design for marriage and what it meant to be a faithful husband.
Though their relationship wasn’t instantly healed, Marvin knew he had taken the first step by telling the truth. He saw God working in their lives, helping them move forward one day at a time.
Prayer:
Thank You for the gift of honesty, even when it’s painful.
Forgive us when we hurt the people we love through selfishness or neglect.
Help us to take responsibility for our actions and to seek healing and restoration, no matter how difficult the road may seem.
Lord, give strength to those working to repair broken relationships.
Teach us to love with humility and to honor the commitments we’ve made.
Thank You for Your grace, which makes new beginnings possible.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
