A Marriage Made In Heaven?

Our March-April study is on a topic that is painful for some; not all marriages are happy. Some, it seems, were fashioned in Hell rather than Heaven! But marriages are not made in Heaven nor in Hell – they are made by us. And they are what we make them. But God can and will help those who will acknowledge that what they are doing is not working and that they need His help.

Listen to the words of Jesus from Matthew chapter 7 verses 24 to 29:

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine: For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

What does God’s Word teach us to DO?

Make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Saviour…

“Jesus saith unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.’”

John 14:6

“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28 – 30

If Jesus is not your Lord, the principles in His Word by themselves will still give you some help but you won’t have the POWER of God working in you and through you, changing your heart and healing you.

Serve one another…

“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” John 13:14 & 15

Honour one another…

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” Romans 12:10

“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7

Forgive one another…

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

Forgive & forget versus forgive & remember. Marriage requires 2 good forgivers.

Be honest to one another…

“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” Colossians 3:9

“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:25

This involves communication and accountability; being subject one to another. (read I Peter chapter 5 verse 5 in your Bible)

All of this amounts to walking in love. The love road is a narrow road; it leaves no excuse for sin.

If walking in love is the great challenge of marriage, it is also the great passion of marriage.

Human love fails; its supply can be exhausted. God’s love never fails; it is inexhaustible.

Loving each other with Gods very own love is the secret of a successful, satisfying marriage.

Jesus is the Resource of love, because God’s love is a fruit of the spirit, and we are the branches on which it grows, but the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, it has to abide in the vine. Jesus is the vine from which we are to draw our supply of love, peace, joy, patience, goodness, meekness, self-control, gentleness and faith. (see John chapter 15 verses 1 to 5 and Galatians chapter 5 verses 22 to 25 in your Bible)

The Holy Spirit is the Supplier of love; it is a fruit of the spirit. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given to us. (see Romans chapter 5 verse 5)

Be serious about having FUN. Enjoy each other; Proverbs 5:18 says, “rejoice with the wife of thy youth.” Good times are the cement of marriage, that which makes you secure. Sexual enjoyment and other kinds of fun are the natural rewards of marriage, the harvest that is reaped when seeds of love and faithfulness have been sown (look up Hebrews 13:4, Proverbs 5: 15 - 21 and Galatians 6:7 - 9) in your Bible.

Friend, if you want your marriage to change for the better, doesn’t it make sense to invite the help of the Designer of marriage into your situation? He alone can change the hearts of people. God promises in Ezekiel 36:25 - 27:

“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.”

If you are saying, “I can’t do it” you are in a good place. God can’t help the self-assured, proud person. But He gives help to the truly humble. (see James 4:6 & I Peter 5:5) God is “rich toward all who call upon Him”. (Romans 10:12 & 13) I invite you to pray and first ask Jesus Christ to be truly the Lord of your life. If He is Lord, then He is the one you yield to each moment. And then, ask your new Lord to be the Lord of your marriage. If you have been trying to change your spouse, stop; ask God to make your spouse all he or she can be! Then, ask Him to make you all you can be. Email us and let us know what happens! Until next time may God richly bless you and yours.

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