Please take a few
minutes, to imagine this scene, two
single (one divorced , the other unmarried)male friends are talking in a
bar, and for some reason, they start talking about the “M” word here’s
a clue it’s not money, one friend says
rather boastfully when I get re-married,
I will expect my new wife to help me pay off all my debts, his friend thinks to himself, what about
loving, supporting, encouraging, blessing, your new wife, surely this is what marriage is
about, he finds his divorced friend’s
comments, narcissistic , but he doesn’t reply because we all know that
it’s impossible to say anything to change or challenge his friend’s views, but he knows in his heart of hearts, then
when he finally get married he will
love, support, encourage , bless , support and cherish his wife.
I
believe that a Christian Marriage includes all the loving, respecting,
honouring, encouraging, blessing and supporting * this list * isn't exhaustive.
each other. ie husband and wife
I believe a marriage is both a covenant
relationship and partnership, were two
people (male and female) come together to love each other, love any children in that relationship and
serve God more effectively together than they can on their own etc etc, while
writing this post, several married friends at church, come to mind, all of whom
are examples of the covenant relationship of marriage, when I finally get married I will have some
great examples of marriage from my friends.
Proverbs 18:22 Nlt The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and he receives favour from
the Lord.
Psalm 128:3 Nlt Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your
home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around
your table.
A Wife of Noble Character Proverbs 31:10-31 New
Living Translation.
10 Who can find a
virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust
her, and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good,
not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She finds wool and flax and
busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for
her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
16 She goes to inspect a field and buys
it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong, a
hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are
profitable; her lamp burns late into the night.
19 Her hands are busy spinning
thread, her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She extends a helping hand to the
poor and opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has no fear of winter for her
household, for everyone has warm clothes.
22 She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her husband is well known at the city
gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders.
24 She makes belted linen
garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.
25 She is clothed with
strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the
future.
26 When she
speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with
kindness.
27 She carefully watches
everything in her household and suffers nothing from
laziness.
28 Her children stand
and bless her. Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many
virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them
all!”
30 Charm is deceptive,
and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will
be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all
she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
1. God
Himself initiated marriage at the beginning of human history. Adam had no part
in planning it. Without divine revelation, man cannot understand it; much less
make it a part of his experience.
2. The
decision that the man was to marry proceeded from God, not from the man.
3. God
knew the kind of helper that the man needed. The man did not
4. God
prepared the woman for the man
5. God
presented the woman to the man. The man did not have to go in search for her
6. God
ordained the nature of their life together. Its end purpose was unity
7. Jesus
upheld God's original plan of marriage as binding on all who would become His
disciples. It is still in force today
Some additional thoughts,
also from God are a Matchmaker:-
§ That a Christian will enter into marriage not
because it is his or her decision, but because it's God's.
§ That a Christian man will trust God both to choose
and to prepare the wife he needs. On the other side, a Christian woman
will trust God to prepare her for the husband for whom God has appointed her.
§ That a Christian man, walking in the will of God,
will find that God brings to him the wife whom He has chosen and prepared for
him. On the other side, a Christian woman will allow God to lead her to
the husband for whom he has been preparing for her.
§ That the end purpose of marriage today is still
what is was for Adam & Eve: perfect unity. Only those who fulfil the first
three requirements , however, can expect also to enjoy the fulfilment of the
end purpose
I
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