I've been thinking about marriage a lot lately - here's why...
- My wife and I celebrated our 11th anniversary this past November (love you Honey!). - I did a wedding and marriage counseling for a young couple this past September - I recently attended a funeral for a woman who was married to her husband 67 years! I've learned a lot from helping a couple just starting out and from a couple who've gone farther than most ever will. And being somewhere in between - I am praying that God will give me strength and wisdom to make it for the long haul. Marriage is about so many things - companionship, love, romance, sex, joy, life, family, kids, etc. but for those who believe that God created marriage, there's more, much more. Here's what I shared with that younger couple this past summer. Marriage does 3 big things: 1) It reveals the plan of God Exodus 6:7 says "I will take you as my own people and I will be your God." That phrase or something like it is repeated many times including Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation - it sounds familiar doesn't it? It sounds like marriage vows. Paul says in Ephesians 5 that the relationship between a husband and a wife represents the relationship between Christ and the church. In other words, the joining of a man and woman together in marriage is reveals something God has been working toward for all of human history - rescuing and uniting with a people who will be his very own. 2) It accomplishes the purpose of God Someone has said that while God loves us just as we are, He loves us too much to leave us that way. Romans 8:29 tells us that God's eternal purpose is to help his people become like His Son Jesus. Nothing reveals our shortcomings and our need for growth like marriage. Two people doing life day in and day out brings out the best in us and the worst in us. Nothing will force you to come face to face with selfishness, brokenness, pride, envy, etc. like marriage. On the flip side, nothing gives you the daily opportunity to become selfless, humble, giving, etc. like marriage. Marriage is a powerful tool God uses to transform us into His image. 3) It paints a picture of God Genesis 1:26-27 says that God created us in His image, male and female in His image - as author John Eldredge points out, there's something about the image of God revealed in maleness and femaleness. And so, when a man and woman come together in marriage, a more complete picture of the image of God is revealed. A man and woman loving, forgiving, and serving each other show us what God is like in a powerful way. Bottom Line: our marriages matter to God and our marriages have significance far beyond what we can understand - much more is at stake in the success of our marriages than we realize. I hope that will help motivate you and me to invest more in the one God has given us to live with and love.
0 Comments
|
WHO I AM
I'm a follower of Jesus, husband to my lovely wife Judy, father of Evangelina, Micah, Josiah, and Jeremiah, missionary to the northeast United States and advocate for all things youth ministry. WHAT I DO
I am the northeast regional coordinator for the National Network of Youth Ministries. I've worked for the last 24 years as the co-executive director of Teens For Christ, a ministry that equips teenagers to share their faith in their schools. I also served on staff at Cherry Tree Alliance Church for 15 years as youth pastor and family life pastor. My Websites
Youth Ministry Consultations Youth Ministry Networking 9 Month Mission Trip Speaking at camps, retreats, youth groups, etc. Archives
March 2022
Categories
All
|