Genesis 3:22-24
“Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of a man.’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
Here we are in the month of June—the month that is usually associated with weddings. If there is any one subject that I receive questions about—it is that dealing with marriage. I will try to answer a few of the questions I have received and will try to provide counsel based upon the Word of God. Since there have been numerous questions, I will write this in a general manner, and not specifically directed to individuals. Are you ready? Here we go! Fasten your seat belts; we are expecting some turbulence! Just kidding.
First of all, let me point out that some people have made unwise choices, and are in a position they wish they were not in. I only wish that every couple could have as wonderful a marriage as Joyce and I. On July 10th we will be celebrating our 56th anniversary.
Some of you are in the contemplative stage of marriage, while some of you have made the decision and are now dealing with the consequences. I hope this Daily-E-Votional will be of assistance regardless of your marital status. There may be some of you who feel this is nothing that you are dealing with, so it does not apply to you. Please retain this information as there may be an opportunity to share it with someone who asks you for marital advice.
We live in a day where emotions seem to control our life. We are driven by the impulse to “feel good.” If we do not feel good, we throw out the things we think make us feel bad, and grab hold of something new that we think will make us feel good. Today’s topic is marriage, but allowing emotions to control us can apply to other areas as well.
In the traditional marriage, we are struck with the words: “FOR AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE.” It has been suggested that in many marriage relationships some have modified the vow to: “FOR AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LOVE.” What makes the difference? The answer is the Word of God. It is unfortunate that even Christian couples can base their relationship on the shaky foundation of emotions, rather than upon the Word of God. They start out with great expectations, and end up in the junkyard of shattered promises.
Marriage is a covenant relationship. It is more than a contract that may be broken by one or both parties, through legal means. It is a covenant that binds the two parties into a lifetime union, not a sometime union.
Old Testament covenants were sealed in the presence of a blood sacrifice. The two who were entering into the covenant, would kill an animal and place a half on each side of the path. The two making the covenant would then join hands and walk between the two pieces. They would say in unison; “May it be to me, as to this animal, if ever I break this covenant.” Wow! That should teach us a vital lesson about the significance of a covenant relationship. It is not to be taken lightly, nor broken at the convenience or desires of either party.
I have hardly taken a breath, and I feel there is much more that needs to be shared on this topic. I will draw this to a close for today, but I plan to continue on with it tomorrow. If you have someone you feel would like to be added to our list, please have them send me an e-mail requesting to be added. Please feel free to share these Daily-E-Votionals with those in your address book.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.
— Pastor Cecil