By Shawn Smith
We all have times in our lives that we feel closer to God than others, and for Christian actress Jessica Oyelowo, that is not a foreign experience.
“The reason I know that my communication has broken down with God is if I’m hiding,” Oyelowo said in a Streams Studio video.
In those moments of distance from God, she turns to Psalm 139:23-24.
“‘Search my heart and try me; see if there’s any wickedness in me,’” she recited. “‘What is it that stopped me from being in Your presence? What is it that stopped me hearing Your voice and You hearing mine?’”
This will often lead Oyelowo to seek forgiveness and make amends for any wrongdoings.
“And it’s simple. It’s not like, ‘I repent. I am evil. I’ve done terrible, terrible things. God, will you ever forgive me?’” she said in a dramatic voice, mimicking self-flagellation. “It’s ‘I’m so sorry. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for forgiving me.’”
The singer/actress reflected how “God’s nature is always to have mercy” and that helps her stay close to the Lord.
“If I can trust the character of God with everything, then there never needs to be a break in communication, because if I’m in Christ, there is no condemnation,” the England native said. “He sees Christ in me, the hope of glory…He loves messy Jesse. He loves all the Jessies I am, but he sees me with the atonement of Christ.”
“I can keep in constant communication with him, which is pray without ceasing, because he loves me,” Oyelowo added. “I’m forgiven. His mercy is new every morning.”
Her husband of over 25 years and fellow actor David Oyelowo is also open about his faith and shares how it is blessing to have married young (Jessica was 20, while David was 22) and grow in their faith together.
“One of the beautiful things about marriage has been that we married young,” David told The Christian Post. “We were both believers and our marriage, our faith, our careers, our family have all grown together. When the Bible says one will put 1,000 to flight but two would put 10,000 to flight, I feel like we are living embodiments of that, and that’s been a real blessing in our lives.”
Related: ‘He Loved Us First’: Actress Jessica Oyelowo on Discovering God’s Love
Oyelowo said that the key to making their marriage work are certain “non-negotiables.”
“We made the decision early on never to be apart for longer than two weeks: 26 years married and we’ve only broken that rule once, by 11 hours, when my wife was in SLEEPY HOLLOW. If I ever meet [director] Tim Burton, I’ll be having words,” he recalled in an interview with The Guardian.
THE WATER MAN director and actor said that they also follow the biblical principle set in Ephesians 4:26 that says, “do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”
“We won’t go to bed if a disagreement isn’t resolved – sleep makes it grow like cancer,” the father of four said. “Before you know it, you don’t remember why you were fighting, ego and pride becomes a factor, and then it starts to fall apart.”
The Oyelowos are not the only ones that follow the “two-week rule.” Actor Robert Downey Jr. and wife of almost 20 years, Susan Downey, follow the two-week rule, “Which often feels too long,” Susan said.
Candace Cameron Bure and husband Valeri Bure, who like the Oyeolowos have been married over 25 years, also make it a point to be together as much as possible.
“That’s why my husband comes up to visit while I’m filming a movie and if he’s traveling a lot, I’ll join him on trips,” Candace revealed. “We love being together and make it a point to stay connected.”
Hmm…these enduring Hollywood relationships might be onto something with this rule.
Read Next: This Simple Rule Keeps Candace Cameron Bure’s Marriage Happy and Healthy
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