Revelation
19:7-8 “Let us rejoice and
be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his
bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given
her to wear.” (Fine linen stands
for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
While other small group Bible
studies take a break for the summer, our Wednesday night group continues
year-round fellowship and topical Christian studies to broaden our knowledge of
the Lord, deepen our faith and improve our earthly inter-personal relationships
on this side of eternity for Christ’s sake. Last week, we began a new video
series on “Marriage Relationships”. Michael Low open the session with biblical
background of the God-created institution of true marriage and facilitated the discussion
around the first conference Speaker Gary Thomas’ presentation.
Hebrews 13:4a “Marriage
should be honored by all.”
He pointed out that the images we
have of ourselves are formed very early in life. And that the forced intimacy
of marriage will result in spiritual challenges. Frustration in marriage
results in our seeing ourselves with futility and guilt. But, that is not what
God intended when He created man & woman. Yet, marriage is not to serve
Jesus Christ, but to serve like Jesus Christ. God designed marriage to make us
holy, even more than to make us happy.
IT teaches us how to forgive sin and to take on the nature of Jesus
Christ himself. The difficult times of marriage God uses to craft our soul and
to shape our spirit.
Genesis
2:20b-24 But for Adam no suitable
helper was found. So the Lord God
caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he
took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with
flesh. Then the Lord God
made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her
to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and
flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out
of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to
his wife, and they become one flesh.
The Apostle James, half-brother of
Jesus Christ, said in James
3:2 “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the
same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” We are often
blinded to our own sins while pointing out the sins of our spouse. Gary Thomas
says that the term “difficult marriage” is redundant. All marriages are
difficult and must be continually maintained and improved upon. Know that God
has a divine intention for the difficulties in marriages. It is not the “How to”,
but rather the “heart to” that matters. Anyone can learn the “how to do
something”, but if they do not have the “heart to” do it, then what is the
purpose and where is the joy and happiness?
Let’s
continue this message on the God-created marriage relationship on the next
post. In Christ, Brian
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