Marriage That WorksSample

The Marriage God Wants for You

Best friends, passionate lovers, spiritual soul mates. That is the kind of marriage God wants for you and your mate. This is not hyperbole. It isn’t idealism. It’s a real possibility, regardless of where you and your spouse find yourselves. 

Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t easy. It will require some knowledge that most people don’t have, some skills everyone can learn, and a lot of grace, which God promises to provide. It will also require setting aside some assumptions you’ve made about marriage, as well as mustering up the courage to honestly examine where your marriage is—and where you want it to be. 

Everyone has troubles; that’s just part of marriage. What you do with them makes the difference. The fundamental reason my wife and I are still together after more than four decades and have the kind of marriage I always dreamed of—still with normal struggles like every couple has—is that we learned God’s design for the marriage relationship and committed to follow it.  If you too are willing and committed, the kind of marriage I am speaking about—the kind of marriage God created for you—is completely possible. 

God has communicated what marriage is, how it works, the roles and responsibilities for husbands and wives, and why His instructions are so important. He did this not only for the sake of marriage but also for His larger, overarching plan to reveal Christ’s love to the world and His commitment to the church. That’s why our time together is so important this week and why your commitment to your marriage is essential.

In the days that follow, you will discover the power of making a covenant with your spouse. You will read some things that in today’s culture may be considered politically incorrect. But they are foundational for a husband loving his wife well and taking responsibility for his God-given assignment. You’ll read some challenging thoughts about how a wife must trust God and overcome fears of her husband’s inadequacies. Most of all, you will experience the beginnings of a spiritual, psychological, emotional, and physical oneness that you and your mate were both designed to enjoy. 

Pray and ask God to build a stronger, clearer picture of biblical marriage as you take steps in the direction He is leading you toward. And, as a place to start, just for this week, ask Him to help you set aside any unmet expectations in your marriage.