“But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Mark 10:6-9
I would like to start by saying I, by no means, feel like an expert on these topics. God has blessed my husband and I with some wisdom through struggle as we’ve pursued His purpose for our lives. Seeking God above all is the most important thing for us all. Our relationship with our heavenly Father MUST be the priority over everything else. The wisdom and truth found through the Holy Spirit will allow your marriage to flourish.
Why are Godly marriages important?
Our marriages are the biggest opportunities to love like Christ. Our spouses will challenge us and how well we can reflect Jesus to a broken world (Ephesians 5:21). Both spouses will inevitably bring their own emotions, ideas and expectations into the marriage—every situation as you navigate life. Our words and actions within our marriage can bring out our best or our worst at any given moment. It is our chance to grow and seek God, loving our spouse as Christ loves us, or allow Satan to divide and destroy. As an individual it is a learning opportunity to be guided by the Spirit to learn how to love well (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
As we walk through life together, the marriage is observed by those around us. Our marriage can become a blessing to others as we love with intention those in our life. A Biblical marriage exists to glorify God. It is a covenant with the Father of the universe, that we would love and cherish as a reflection of the love we have received (Ephesians 5:25-33). Our roles are designed by God and for His purposes. It is to be a model for the gospel. Sharing love over hate, grace over judgment and hope over pain.
In our individual faith walks we should be seeking to glorify God by living in a way for people to see Jesus in us. As a unified team, we should also be seeking to make sure our marriage is a light to the world around us. In a world where we frequently hear about failed marriages, our hearts should cry for each broken covenant. The lost individuals, the lost opportunities for God’s glory to be reflected in a way God intended it to be.
Pray that God would strengthen your marriage as you pursue your individual spiritual growth. Strive to love your spouse as Christ loves us. And pray that God would use your marriage story as a way to bring light to a broken world who desperately needs to see the hope we have in Jesus.