I Will Wait For You

A woman asked me recently whether I believe that it is God who joins people together in marriage.  I stated that I do, because that is expressly what God says in His word (Matthew 19:6).  "Why then" she wondered, "are there so many divorces in Christian marriages?"

I believe this is largely due to the fact that people rarely consider or seek God's plan for their lives.  It is enough for me to just profess faith in Christ, but then go on living my life the way that I want to live it.

While it should be God who joins people together, it is common for people to run off and simply do what is right in their own eyes.  If we do not follow God's plan, then we have no greater assurance of success for our efforts than does one who is not saved.  When it comes to marriage, just like many other subjects, those 'in the church' often have the same mindset as in the world.

So when trials come - the "for worse, in sickness, for poorer" times - our true colors come shining through.  We can talk about waiting on God for marriage, but what about waiting on God after marriage?  Do we trust Him to work out any issues?  Do we consider Him faithful to continue molding our spouses (and ourselves) into His image, even through our experiences in life?  Do we actually believe that it is God who joined us together (as we professed) or do we simply conclude that we (and God) made a mistake?  Faith in God will compel us to prayer and motivate us to patiently wait on God, even when marriages hit hard times.  If our level of commitment in marriage ends at the point where "I" am being put out, then we have never understood the covenant of marriage to begin with.

A friend shared with me last year:  "Most people who get married are 2 ticks, each assuming the other is a dog. Their intention is to take, take, take...and when the well runs dry, they say, 'We just don't love each other anymore.' No marriage will last or be truly happy without a continuous pattern of selflessness."

That is what is missing from most marriages, including Christian ones: selflessness...or in other words Christ.  If Jesus Christ is not the center of our lives, then our motivation in every endeavor (including marriage) will be selfish; and we will reap the tragic results of such fruit.

When I got married, someone gave us a wonderful plague which reads:

Marriage takes three to be complete;
It's not enough for two to meet
They must be united in love
By love's Creator God above.
A marriage that follows God's plan
Takes more than a woman and a man.
It needs a oneness that can be
Only from Christ - marriage takes three.
By Beth Stuckwisch

In Turning From A Spirit of Whoredoms and Biblical Manhood, we talked about how critical it is for our young people to be given a biblical view of relationships and marriage. How important it is for them to understand that - if it is God's plan for you to marry - then He is already preparing you for your spouse.  As in all things, we don't need to test the waters but simply to follow the lead of the Spirit.

So I am sharing one young woman's testimony of how her perspective of relationships is changing as God renews her mind to see herself - and her life - through His eyes first.  While an excerpt from her article is posted below, please click on this link to view it in its entirety:  I Will Wait For You

SOME OF US HAVE BEEN FOOLED!

Having sex? Has to be one of the most beautiful things in the Lord.

How about just cuddling? Can’t be much without the Lord.

Saying I love you and meaning it? Impossible if we are outside of the Lord.

Being loyal? Unheard of if we have no loyalty to the Lord.

Being changed from the old cheater/liar? Insane if we hadn’t been made new in the Lord.

Read more at I Will Wait For You.