| "MARRIAGE" "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him." Genesis 2:18 (KJV) "And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." Genesis 2:22-25 (KJV) The Lord is invited when a couple chooses to exchange their vows in God's house. The presence of our Lord at a wedding brings added joy to the celebration. How gracious of God to supply His blessings to the marriage! "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage." John 2:1,2 (KJV) God provides for all the needs of your married life, right from the very beginning. The blessings you are reminded of today ~ health, strength, home, family, children, relatives, good friends, and faithful neighbors ae all he gifts of God through Christ. "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of he body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. FOR THIS CAUSE SHALL A MAN LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL BE JOINED UNTO HIS WIFE, AND THEY TWO SHALL BE ONE FLESH. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." Ephesians 5:22-33 (KJV) Here, the apostle Paul expressly commands that all, men and women alike, are to " be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ." Where this model is implemented, a beautiful marriage, in which each partner becomes a blessing for the other, is assured. And together they become a blessing to their children. "Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion of this life, and in thy labor which thou takest under the sun." Ecclesiates 9:9 (KJV) "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God had joined together, let no man put asunder." Matthew 19:6 (KJV) God's ideal plan for marriage is ONE man for ONE woman for ONE lifetime. Application: Husband's, love and respect your wives ~ Wives, love, respect and support your husbands. Together, have a mutually supportive attitude to succeed in building a harmonious home. Prayer: Heavely Father, please help us to remind ourselves daily of the vows we took in Your presence, as You witnessed our wedding day celebration. Please help us to work together in building the Christian home that would be pleasing to You. Let our marriage always be one in which we, as husband and wife, love one another as dearly as You love us. Thank you for all the blessings You have given us in our life together. And Lord, please forgive us when we stumble. In Jesus' Precious Name we pray, Amen. |