“ Noël and I are rock solid in our commitment to each other, and there is no whiff of unfaithfulness on either side. But, as I told the elders, “rock solid” is not always an emotionally satisfying metaphor, especially to a woman. A rock is not the best image of a woman’s tender companion. In other words, the precious garden of my home needs tending. I want to say to Noël that she is precious to me in a way that, at this point in our 41-year pilgrimage, can be said best by stepping back for a season from virtually all public commitments. ”
John Piper, on his reasons for taking an 8-month leave of absence from public ministry.
He also mentioned that “[m]ost working men and women do not have the freedom to step back like this,” which is true, but this is exactly the kind of example we should look for in our marriages. It is worth setting absolutely everything else aside for the sake of our spouses. The marriage covenant is that important.
