The Bride of Christ - Part 2

Beth Moore continues stating, I don’t know who you think has a perfect marriage, but it is a big lie. They have troubles too. Where your marriage is not enough for you, based on the authority of Holy Scripture, your spouse is enough for you and God is still good. Unrealistic expectations create unrealistic marriages. Who is telling you what the definition of a “good” marriage is and is not?

1 Corinthians 7:23 “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”

There is an old saying that we don’t know what we have until it is gone. Sometimes, when we cannot get exactly what we want, we do not appreciate what we have. At the end of the day, he loves her and she loves him, and that is a “good” thing; a beautiful thing. Women want to derive their security and identity from someone who is struggling with their own security and identity. This existential secular humanist culture around us is brutal on everyone. We want our spouse to tell us how valuable we are everyday and all the time. What if we derived our security and identity from our God-given biblical office, because we represent the bride of Christ? We are not called in Scripture: “The wife of Christ”. We are going to live all of eternity as “the bride of Christ”. It will remain.

Isaiah 62:5 “As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.”

The more that we demand affirmation from our spouse, the more distance and reluctance we receive to get it. The best condition is to be secure in Jesus. Jesus can give us everything that we need. Be filled in Christ. Be secure in Christ. We need to have our identity in Christ everyday of our lives. Know that you and I are overtly loved and cherished by Jesus Christ. Belittling and condescending will not serve you or I well.

A good fight gets things that are weighing us down and clears the air in order to get down to where the tender feelings that spouses have for each other reside. A “good” fight is a fight for marriage. We don’t fight with our spouse; we fight for our spouse. Are marital issues going to matter in a year from now, five years from now, or ten years from now. Both spouses need to communicate their needs for the other to attend to them. Do not be passive about your marriage. Be godly and be active. Fight for your marriage and fight for your home. Do not give up on your marriage. Stick it out. Marriage is the most powerful visual example of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His bride (the saints – those sanctified – the child of God).

Just as every individual life is worth saving, then every marriage is worth saving. Do not give up. Stick it out. Do the work. Do marriage. When the road gets rocky, get through it and get over it. Nothing reflects Christ and his bride more. Anybody can be well. We are all hurt, have struggles and need to be healed. Be a miracle.

In Christ, Brian