Marriage the Way God Intended: An Introduction
This article on marriage will pull truths from the Word of God and also pull from the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. My hope is that these articles will make you want to take a closer look at your own marriage, to bring your drone closer to earth as it were, and see what God really says about marriage. I hope to whet your appetite and lead you to a better understand of marriage from God’s perspective as the Master Designer of marriage, and cause you to desire holiness within your marriage..
Marriage, as a sacred covenant, is under attack on many fronts. This and many other things can discourage and confuse us; but if we could have a clearer understanding of God’s heart and intention towards marriage, then you and I would be refreshed and experience the renewal of both our minds (Rom. 12:2) and our marriages! Aren’t we desperate for some refreshment in these tumultuous coronavirus days?
I want to encourage you as you read this article- particularly the Scripture in this article, to let the Holy Spirit open your eyes and show you what you need to see. Then, I would encourage you to write out the verses below and ask God what He wants to teach you in this passage that is specifically for your marriage. Allow the Holy Spirit to gently change your heart and ask yourself, “Is it possible that I could be the catalyst for change in my marriage?”
Back to the beginning
So let’s go back to the beginning in Genesis 1:26-28:
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens… and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Please don’t miss the “God saids” as they’re critical in shaping our beliefs.
Today, marriage is the source of so many jokes and jeers in society that it leaves our heads spinning, wondering if all the work that it takes to build a successful marriage is even worth it. People become so gun-shy that many have decided to live together to see if they’re “right” for each other, before committing; but is that really the best solution to today’s marital failures?
If anyone is left feeling undervalued and unloved or feeling completely disrespected so that “babe I need” list gets checked then maybe it feels like the effort is lost. Additionally, women and men feel they just can’t “get it right”. The most common cry is, “I just don’t know what they want from me, I just can’t please them,” or “How can I hope to build a godly marriage when he/she doesn’t even know what they want in their walk with Christ, much less in our relationship?!”
A Deeper Look
Let’s dive deeper into this subject to see what practical ideas we can bring into our hearts. Let’s take these scriptural directives and practical suggestions, and then roll them over in our souls coupled with prayer, talking to God as if he is closer than our own skin; so that each of us can have the marriage that God really intended.
Let’s face it: we live in a nation of quitters. People quickly become dissatisfied with their jobs, their bosses, and the unfulfilled promises from when they were newly hired. When the going gets tough, employers quit wanting the employee they hired as the ”perfect fit,” and employees quit believing that they can make a difference as part of their team, or that the boss will “see my efforts.”
People often “quit” their church in the same way, by lamenting that it’s “unfulfilling” and “just doesn’t meet their needs,” pointing out how another church is doing so much for their community while their old church sits idly by watching–whatever it is that doesn’t satisfy at the moment–or even worse, some go as far as to walk away from “the faith,” believing that God just did not show up for them, no matter how much they prayed. Do you see the common theme? That mentality of, “What’s in this arrangement for me, how do I get what I want?”
How About You?
Is this how you feel about your marriage? Like it’s just another broken contract that can’t be fixed? Do you and I feel as if our spouse just doesn’t make us happy no matter how many times we tell them to change their ways or point out their faults or try to love them; if only she could just be a little less emotional or if he would be the spiritual leader in our home like my friend’s husband I could respect him more?
Let’s grow together from taking a closer look at your marriage the way God the Master Designer intended. Will you sit down with God and take a fresh look at his design for marriage? Will you consider that God’s primary purpose for marriage is to make you holy and not only happy?