LIFE IN RELATION TO MARRIAGE – EPHESIANS 5:18-25, GENESIS 1:18, 2:27-28

 

 

Introduction:

Marriage is the only institution that is as old as human creation (existence). God places a high premium on marriage and no wonder He said: It is not good that man should be alone, therefore I will make an helpmeet for him: the help that is meet for him, suitable, appropriate, adequate and in all respects fit for the man. Not because of the same colour, size, origin or ethnicity but because of the Spirit of God in them.

 

Today, no one institution has been terribly basterdized than the institution of marriage. It is so much basterdized that men and women no longer obey God’s injunction of “male and female” Genesis 1:18 but nowadays what we are seeing is men marrying men, women marrying women and even some marrying animals! Is it a surprise or strange? NO. Romans 1:27.“In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.” Men committed indecent acts with other men and received in themselves their due perversion”. What a great depravity!

 

But the institution of marriage as ordained by God shall continue to stand.  No amount of the enemy’s onslaught and attacks that will be able to defeat those who stand in Him and His word for their marriage. Godly union will triumph.

 

3-Bs of life:

In the journey of life, there is no road that is straight. Every road has three main features – Bends, Bumps and Bridges. In the journey of faith the road may also be characterised by Bends, Bumps and Bridges. No two marriages are the same. The Bs may be in different forms, shapes and kinds. What constitutes the 3-Bs in one home may not be the same with another home. Bends are meant for us to carefully negotiate the road so that we do not crash or somersault along the journey. The bumps are to caution us to slow down patiently so that we thereafter have a smooth journey while the bridges are to enable us cross over from one point to another for us to continue the journey.

 

Certain situations and circumstances do occur in marriage that can be likened to these geographical features on our roads. So, as we carefully observe and handle these situations we make a good and safe journey in our marriage.

 

5-Ds of life:

Since all these cannot but come our way in the journey of marriage and even of faith, what are the 5-Ds of life that form the mechanism of the spice of human living, endeavours and success in life? The first is Desire. Every man has a desire to do one thing or the other. It is desire that propels our actions. It pushes us to act and before the action, the next thing is Decision. Our life is a product of Decision. Whatever decision we make will either make or mar us. Yet it is a must that we make decisions at every point of our life.

 

A man/woman desires to marry, get a job, buy a car or do anything in life. He/she has to decide/make a decision. Every two people who therefore desired to marry and who have decided to come together in Holy matrimony must of necessity determine to work together and make the union work by Determination. As they come together with determination, they move to the next level – Development. Both the man and the woman begin to develop themselves in all areas of life especially, spiritually – “And Jesus increase in wisdom and at stature and in favour with God and man” Luke 2:52. It is only by spiritual development that you mature and becomecapable of negotiating every bend, move smoothly over bumps and go safely over bridges. Nobody ever succeeds inmarriage except by Divine guidance which is the fifth D in the 5-Ds of life.

 

With Divine guidance, your desire becomes pure and the decision you take therefore follows a godly line and pattern. The godly decision is consolidated by determination and collaboratively the couple develops all in line with Divine guidance. The 5-Ds – DESIRE, DECISION, DETERMINATION, DEVELOPMENT and DIVINE guidance.

 

This is what makes a successful marriage and a happy home that focuses not only on things below but those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God – Colossians 1:1.

 

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