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Marriage As God Would Have It
Introduction:
In On This
Day by Carl D. Windsor, the page for Valentine’s Day includes
this anecdote:
Even the most devoted couple will experience a stormy bout once in a
while. A grandmother, celebrating her golden wedding anniversary,
once told the secret of her long and happy marriage. “On my wedding
day, I decided to make a list of ten of my husband’s faults which,
for the sake of our marriage, I would overlook,” she said.
A guest asked the woman what some of the faults she had chosen
to overlook were. The grandmother replied, “To tell you the truth,
my dear, I never did get around to listing them. But whenever my
husband did something that made me hopping mad, I would say to
myself, Lucky for him that’s one of the ten!”
It is God’s
desire that we have a long and happy marriage. He knew that it was
not good that we should be alone; that there were many benefits to
being married. (Ecclesiastes
4:9-10)
But one-half of all marriages are ending up in divorce. Many of the
remaining ones are on rocky ground. Is there hope? Absolutely!
The Word of God
is the answer, the single best marriage manual. Within its pages,
lie the solutions to a long and happy marriage. This was the basis
for Gus Nichol’s approach to marriage counseling:
-
Do you
really want to do what’s right?
-
Do you want
to start right now?
-
Are you
willing to let the Scriptures give you the answers?
A great
approach, I think.
Aim:
Discover how to have a long and happy marriage
Body:
-
Good
marriages don’t just happen.
It involves much work. You must realize you “need each other to
survive.” M. Patterson The husband and wife should each
ask themselves this question: “How can I personally make this
marriage a success?” It is not fair to expect your spouse to
make this a good marriage.
-
Remember
marriage is a commitment.
(Matthew
19:3-6)
Next to Christ, our spouse must come before any other person.
We make a solemn vow in God’s presence to be faithful until
death. We vow to put our spouse first, even above parents.
Many a marriage has been damaged in this way.
-
Love your
spouse as Christ loves you.
(John
15:12)
“This is My command, that you love one another as I have loved
you.” Christ loves us in spite of our imperfections. We
shouldn’t enter marriage believing our mate is perfect either.
This would be a source of unhappiness and discontent. Be
realistic! Husbands, love your wives, as you love yourselves.
(Ephesians
5:28)
Even though we may not like everything about ourselves, we still
take care of ourselves anyway. We must care for our spouse at
least as well as we care for ourselves. Husbands, do you see
that she gets to relax as much as you? Does she get as much
time off as you to pursue hobbies and recreation? Are you
treating her as you would want to be treated if you were in her
place? (Matthew
7:12)
“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you. . . “
-
Act as a
mature adult.
Marriage is not for children. People need to prepare for
marriage. Don’t rush. Wait until you are mature enough to
realize what God expects from you in the marriage.
·
Mature adults are not selfish. Selfishness is a root of many
marital problems. (Luke
9:23)
One must give up some of their wants and wishes for the good of
marriage. This is what it means to be mature. If you are not
willing to do this, don’t get married!
·
Mature adults are responsible. (I
Timothy 5:8)
Husbands are to provide for the family, materially as well as
spiritually. He can’t just give these responsibilities over to his
wife.
-
Always be a
peacemaker.
“Pursue peace with all people.” (Hebrews
12:14)
This is especially true of our mate. Fight for, not against,
each other. I can’t tolerate people not being nice to my wife.
Be willing to forgive as God does. (Psalms
86:5)
-
Make your
spouse your best friend.
(Proverbs
18:24)
Friends trust one another, are truthful with each other, spend
time together, and do things together. They share thoughts and
feelings with each other. You’ll be glad you did.
Closing:
The Bible does reveal the secrets to a long and happy marriage, if
you will only listen.
Invitation:
Husbands and
wives can contribute to the salvation of each other.
(I
Peter 3:1-2)
In addition, they can encourage one another to be more faithful,
help one another go to Heaven. What person would you like to have
in Heaven more than your spouse?
Bobby Stafford
May 6, 2012
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