Day 294: My Thoughts, A Marriage Like Christ And The Church
Read: Ephesians 5:15 - 33
“One thing I know is that marriage is made in heaven, but then again,
so is thunder and lightening!” So, why talk about the sanctity of the
marriage covenant and in the same breath talk about the origins of
thunder and lightening? Well, if you look at one more verse of the
Bible (1 Cor. 15:33) it also teaches us ' Do not be deceived: “Bad
company corrupts good morals.” So connecting the connecting of one Bible
passage teaching about 'Marriage like Christ and the Church and another
verse teaching how "bad company corrupting good morals", the sum total
we arrive at is the "One thing I know is that marriage is made in heaven
but then again so is thunder and lightening!"
But, before we take that equation too far, we must also recognize that the opposite is also equally true - "Good company strengthens character." When you observe a great marriage, you can be blessedly assured that there are other great
marriages around it. God's word has so very much to say to us about how
very powerful an influence a great marriage can be on single people,
newly weds and a marriage that is deeply struggling. Hebrews 10:24 - 25:
"and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good
deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of
some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day
drawing near."
I have only been married for just over three years now. My parents were married for exactly 38 years one week before my father died. My wife's parents were married for 58 years before her mother died three years ago. My parents were
not strong in the faith whereas my wife's parents were heavily engaged
for many years in their family church until her mom's health issues took
precedence. The fact is, it doesn’t take us long to learn that if God
didn’t give us some help in all of this male - female relationship,
especially in the marriage, we would be in some thunder and lightening!
And a lot of people (too many) are, because they haven't turned to God
for guidance!
But we must! It is really the only way! Today, I
desire us to see the invaluable help that God gives us from His Word
and move on to healthy God driven married lives. It is an extraordinarily difficult challenge with so much self absorbed focus on our own career building, staying in school till your debt ceiling is far beyond the
furthest reaches of heaven above then finding that ever so elusive 'just
the right job' to start and support a family. In all I just said, there is too much opportunity for thunder and lightening to shake and quake and rend the growing and maturing new couple's heavens asunder. However, I also reflect on that where there is thunder and lightening, there is God too!
Let Us Pray: ABBA, Father, help us so to remember when we first met and
the strong divine bond of love that grew between us. To work that love
into practical things so nothing can divide us, so that we may endure
the storms, the great crashing thunder and the bolts of lightening that
come crashing into our marriage, threatening to rend it asunder. We ask
for words both kind and loving, for hearts always ready to ask for
forgiveness as well as to forgive. Dear Lord, help us to more fully
surrender, putting our marriage into Your hands. Lord, we also pray for
the newly weds, for those new couples who are coming together and discovering a growing, maturing love for each other. Help them grow in their relationship for each other, more importantly, in You!
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Read: Ephesians 5:15 - 33
“One thing I know is that marriage is made in heaven, but then again, so is thunder and lightening!” So, why talk about the sanctity of the marriage covenant and in the same breath talk about the origins of thunder and lightening? Well, if you look at one more verse of the Bible (1 Cor. 15:33) it also teaches us ' Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” So connecting the connecting of one Bible passage teaching about 'Marriage like Christ and the Church and another verse teaching how "bad company corrupting good morals", the sum total we arrive at is the "One thing I know is that marriage is made in heaven but then again so is thunder and lightening!"
But, before we take that equation too far, we must also recognize that the opposite is also equally true - "Good company strengthens character." When you observe a great marriage, you can be blessedly assured that there are other great marriages around it. God's word has so very much to say to us about how very powerful an influence a great marriage can be on single people, newly weds and a marriage that is deeply struggling. Hebrews 10:24 - 25: "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."
I have only been married for just over three years now. My parents were married for exactly 38 years one week before my father died. My wife's parents were married for 58 years before her mother died three years ago. My parents were not strong in the faith whereas my wife's parents were heavily engaged for many years in their family church until her mom's health issues took precedence. The fact is, it doesn’t take us long to learn that if God didn’t give us some help in all of this male - female relationship, especially in the marriage, we would be in some thunder and lightening! And a lot of people (too many) are, because they haven't turned to God for guidance!
But we must! It is really the only way! Today, I desire us to see the invaluable help that God gives us from His Word and move on to healthy God driven married lives. It is an extraordinarily difficult challenge with so much self absorbed focus on our own career building, staying in school till your debt ceiling is far beyond the furthest reaches of heaven above then finding that ever so elusive 'just the right job' to start and support a family. In all I just said, there is too much opportunity for thunder and lightening to shake and quake and rend the growing and maturing new couple's heavens asunder. However, I also reflect on that where there is thunder and lightening, there is God too!
Let Us Pray: ABBA, Father, help us so to remember when we first met and the strong divine bond of love that grew between us. To work that love into practical things so nothing can divide us, so that we may endure the storms, the great crashing thunder and the bolts of lightening that come crashing into our marriage, threatening to rend it asunder. We ask for words both kind and loving, for hearts always ready to ask for forgiveness as well as to forgive. Dear Lord, help us to more fully surrender, putting our marriage into Your hands. Lord, we also pray for the newly weds, for those new couples who are coming together and discovering a growing, maturing love for each other. Help them grow in their relationship for each other, more importantly, in You!
http://www.youtube.com/
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