Weddings! What an exciting time for a couples in love! Yet, the wedding is just one special day. What about the marriage that follows the wedding?
Reflect on How the Wedding is Just One Special Day But the Marriage …
The wedding is just one special day but he marriage, however, should be a lifetime partnership in God’s eyes.
Sadly, the divorce rate is alarmingly high, even among Christians. And, let’s not forget those experiencing marriages that can be considered “silent failures”.
The wedding is just one special day when it is easier to keep your focus on the other person but the marriage, however, often brings a different reality.
There is so much self-centeredness in our world that mitigates against the kind of unity required to maintain a healthy marriage. Though not specifically written about marriage, Philippians 2:3-4 needs to be practiced in marriage … as well as all relationships.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Let’s not forget the verse preceding Paul’s discussion about the marriage relationship in Ephesians 5:22-33. Verse 21 says “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Both husband and wife must apply Philippians 2:3-4.
The wedding is just one special day but so much time, effort, and investment goes into getting ready for that one day but the marriage, however, takes work too.
If even a portion of the attention given to wedding preparation was put into the marriage itself on a day to day basis, the statistics would probably be different.
What are we doing as a church to help couples go into marriage with this understanding and to sustain healthy relationships? We can show good movies like Fireproof (link goes to one of our affiliate programs) about the difference God can make in marriages but we need an on-going effort to help couples.
For Help: Marriage Resources
Couples should not always focus their attention on the “after birth” wedding and kill “the child” marriage. I pray that the Lord release the Spirit of discernment onto us.
How true, Aturinda Newton, that we need the Spirit to truly understand the ways and intent of God in all things, including marriage. — “What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (1 Cor. 2:12) “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” (1 Cor. 2:14)