The bible starts with a marriage and ends with a marriage. It starts with Adams and Eve's marriage to the Marriage of Christ and the Church. Christ love with the church (us) is free, total, faithful and fruitful. Here are the encouraging truths I have found...
Marriage: Free, Total, Faithful, Fruitful Love
MarriageMarriage is the sacrament of joining two lives (Ephesians 5:21-32). Marriage brings a little of the mystery of heaven to earth, a small sliver of heavens bliss. "Two are better off than one for they help each other succeed," and when one falls the other can help then up (Ephesians 4:9). Marriage isn't for the self-seeking but for husband and wife to sacrificially serve each other.
Free
We are given the freedom to love and marry whoever we want. We do have freedom but freedom with responsibility, we must honor God with our freedom. Marring a believer and respecting that they feel with their freedom, they are honoring God by marring you (1 Corinthians 7:12-14).
Total
First we must have a total union (relationship) with our creator, before we enter into an earthly marriage. Marriage is a safe haven to totally reveal oneself to their beloved. Genesis 2:25, shows us that marriage is a place to fulfill our total need for nakedness; body, soul and spirit. God is our beloved now and still our beloved too once were married. We can have that nakedness/openess with God and our husband.
Faithful
Faithfully devote your life to that person, and make that vow on your wedding day. Your heart, mind, spirit and body are fully entrusted to the other (1 Corinthians 6). Making the commitment of faithfulness to your spouse in front of God, connects every ounce of your being to your spouse--oneness (Mark 10:8). Marriage is a mutual understanding of forever nothing can separate.
Fruitful
God first command to Adam and Eve was, "Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28). The love between God the Father and Jesus his only son was so profound that it created another spiritual being, the Holy Spirit. The love between husband and wife is so profound, God willing can great another person, the miracle of life.
Love
Real authentic love is an unconditional action of encouraging your spouse, listening to them, sacrificing for them, empathizing with them and affirming your counterpart.Loving is an action of care that brings an unexplainable feeling of love. Love--the feeling--is the fruit of loving.
Truth: Marriage is a Free, Total, Faithful, Fruitful kind of Love!
thanks for writing this. it was beautiful to read as a bride to be :-)
ReplyDeletehave you ever read "art of loving" by erich fromm? it's a great book. if you want to borrow, let me know :-)