REPOST:
THE MINISTRY OF MARRIAGE pt.1
THE MINISTRY OF MARRIAGE pt.1
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her… Ephesians 5:21-22, 25 NIV
People spend billions of dollars per year to get married and have a splendid wedding but will not invest a plug nickel on their marriage, not in time or resources. And we wonder why the divorce rate is so high. Well it is because people do not understand marriage at all. More often than not people get married for all the wrong reasons, failing to realize that marriage is a ministry and it serves a purpose.
To fully understand the concept of marriage as a ministry we must first understand what marriage is and what ministry entails. Marriage is a commitment between two people to a covenant relationship with God (see Malachi 2:14); it is the cornerstone for building strong, God-fearing families. Ministry is interpersonal (see Romans 1:12) and its purpose is to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. Simply put, marriage is the ministry that mirrors the relationship between Christ and mankind; and until people start to recognize the correlation, marriage is doomed to fail.
Though the enemy will convince us otherwise, the Bible clearly states the objectives of a sound marriage. In the book of Ephesians, the roles are clearly defined: Husbands love… and wives are to submit. When a man commits to marriage, he accepts a position of authority ordained by God. He is solely responsible for the family that he creates. When told to love “as Christ loved the church…” it means to sacrifice for the benefit of his household (body). No matter what else is going on in the world, man is called to sacrifice himself for those he loves, just as Christ did. Despite all that Christ suffered at the hands of man, He still prayed for man. He did not seek vengeance against man, and He fulfilled His purpose by dying on the cross. Christ submitted to the authority of God; and His sacrifice saved man from eternal death. So it is when a man marries, he positions himself to be the savior of his household. This does not mean he has to die on a cross, but he may have to bear a few for the sake of a peaceful and loving household.
When a woman commits to marriage, she accepts her husband’s position of authority ordained by God. Yes, she should submit to him and it is because God said so, not man! If a woman is not willing to submit to her husband, she should not be eager to get to the altar with him. What many women fail to realize is that wives are called to submit “as the church submits to Christ…” because her behavior can win over her husband (see 1 Peter 3:1). This holds true, especially when a husband is not being Christ-like. Submission is the key to captivating him and drawing him nearer to his purpose; it is also a sign of trust in his position as leader. So pray for him, have some compassion, respect his position as “head of household,” support him, and encourage him in his endeavors. Let him be the man that God has ordained him to be in marriage. A wife should be a refuge to her husband, not his nemesis.
Remember, marriage is the foundation of a sound family and it is a joint effort. Although two people are joined together as one, there has to be compromise and sacrifice on both parts. It will not always be easy for husbands to lead, and often it will be difficult for wives to submit. That is where God comes in…call on Him, and seek His presence within the marriage at all times. After all, marriage was God’s idea in the first place (see Genesis 2:18), so turn it over to Him and He will bless it as only He can!
Prayer: Father God, we call on you asking that you will bless the marriages of those around us. The enemy has us so twisted that we are forsaking a covenant that was meant to glorify you, and our families are suffering because of it. Please Father; forgive us for taking this sacred covenant so lightly. Help those couples that are struggling to define their purpose in marriage. Help them to understand what marriage really means so that they can be wise in their choices. Open their hearts so that men can freely love their wives, and soften their resolve so that women can willfully submit to their husbands. We need you Lord, because our children are falling by the wayside. We thank you for your grace and mercy, and praise you for who you are and all that you are! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Read 1 Corinthians13:4-7 to understand what love means and read Ephesians 5:21-33 to better understand submission.
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