Marriage



I read a great book from Sarah Mally and I was really inspired by her. She says we dream of our wedding day, but the Lord continues to remind us we should be excited about Him- knowing, serving, and being with Him. That is sooo true! He is everything we need and there isn't anything you could compare with Him, neither the best husband in the whole world nor anything else. Our lives are short on this earth and so is the marriage, compared to eternity. I want to share with you a list of the ways the marriage relationship on earth parallels and pictures the eternal relationship God designed for us to have with Christ, described by Sarah:
  1. Both relationships are permanent.
  2. Both are intimate.
  3. Both require waiting- waiting for a wedding, waiting for Christ's return.
  4. Both are based on love and commitment.
  5. In both, the two become one- husband and wife become one flesh; those who are saved become members of Christ's body (Eph. 5:29-31, John 17:21).
  6. Both are covenants and formed by vows: Marriage- "I do"; Salvation- "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus" (Rom. 10:9)
  7. Both are exclusive. They are not shared by another- no adultery, no idolatry.
  8. Both have a starting moment. When you were born in the world, you were neither married nor saved. Marriage requires a ceremony; salvation requires a decision.
  9. Both relationships make us complete.
  10. Both have a wedding/ marriage supper- a wedding banquet on earth, the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven (Rev. 19).
  11. Both are sealed with a sign- marriage with a ring, salvation with the Holy Spirit.
  12. Both have an authority structure, a head to the relationship to whom the other desires to submit-the wife submits to her husband as the believer submits to Christ.
  13. In both, even though there is an authority structure, the relationship is based on a friendship- "I have called you friends" (John 15:15)
  14. In both, the groom must leave his home. Christ left His Father in order to come to earth and win His bride. A man will leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife (Eph.5:31).
  15. In both relationships, the head is the initiator.
  16. Both require a sacrificial love on the part of the head. A husband is commanded to love as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (Eph. 5:25).
  17. In both, the head is the provider and protector.
  18. In both, the husband prepares a residence- a man provides a home on earth, Christ provides a home in heaven.
  19. In both relationships, the bride becomes beautiful by a submissive spirit and inner qualities of godliness (I Peter 3:1-6).
  20. In both, the bride's exclusive desire is to please and serve her head.
  21. In both, the bride becomes radiant with joy.
  22. Both relationships grow sweeter with time.
  23. In both relationships, each owns the other. "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" (Song of Sol. 6:3, I Cor. 7:4).
  24. In both relationships, each fills the pother's heart (Psalm 139:17, Col. 1 :27).
  25. Both relationships provide a "satisfaction" that can be found nowhere else. We are satisfied by a relationship with God and by being in His presence. Likewise, we are satisfied by our spouse, even just by being in their presence.
Our God is so great, He has such a great plan for the whole world and for you, as an individual. He's perfect... He's awesome, isn't it? Pour out your heart to the Lord and listen to what He says.


The One thing I ask of the Lord—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple. ~Psalm 27:4

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