What a wonderful thing it is when two people find love. As the love deepens and strengthens it gets harder to be apart. Therefore the couple has to make a choice of what their future together will look like. Many find the next step to be moving in with one another even if marriage hasn’t been discussed. While others believe cohabitation is not only acceptable but strengthens the chances of a successful marriage. As appealing as these options may seem, especially if divorce has been in the picture, we must be aware of how our enemy operates. He tends to lead us down a path that results in us believing the counterfeit is necessary; such as living like married couples without actually being married. Anything counterfeit is made to imitate something valuable or important with the intention of being deceptive. Some may say that a marriage is just a signed piece of paper, but really it is so much more than that. God designed marriage because He saw that it isn’t good for man to be alone, man needed a companion to do life alongside. God meticulously crafted all that is created to point to Him, which includes marriage. God’s hand and blessing is over the union between husband and wife; for his word says, “as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5b). Marriage is important and here are some reasons why:
Marriage is a lifetime commitment that is sacred because it involves not only a covenant between one another but with God. It is literally the act of going from two separate individuals into one. Jesus says it this way, “ At the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘for this reason man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Matt. 19:4-6). Marriage honors and glorifies God. It is His desire for people who chose to live together to be married, so that they can receive the fullness of God’s blessings. Marriage is not without its challenges, however, when both husband and wife are choosing to honor God, He acts as the third strand, which cannot be easily broken when intertwined with two others.
As profound as it may be for two broken people to join as one and live a lifetime together, God chose this avenue to be the best way for us to love one another like Jesus loved the church. Therefore marriage teaches us how to love selflessly; to put others' needs before oneself. The worldview of love is that it’s a feeling that can come and go but really it is a choice; a choice to value another person by offering patience, kindness, honor, respect, and no record of wrongs. To fully love you must lay down your own selfish desires for the sake of another just like Jesus did when He went to the cross for us. It tends to reveal areas in our life that need to be sanctified by Him. Therefore marriage strengthens the selfless perspective, by bringing awareness to our natural selfishness, which then leads us down a path of holiness. Marriage is meant to have its joys, and its trials, a rollercoaster of highs and lows to help shape and grow us more into the image of Christ.
Marriage Keeps Us Pure And Secure
Temptation is constantly lurking around us trying to get us to take the bait. In fact, here is what Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 about one, “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Marriage is designed to keep us pure in our heart, mind, and body. The bond of marriage offers deep satisfying love that meets the need for physical, emotional, and spiritual intimacy. It is through this connection that gives a person the support to defeat temptation. With intimacy comes a sense of security and the feeling of being safe. When God created Adam and Eve in the garden they were both naked and unashamed (Gen. 2:25). Marriage gives us the opportunity to be fully known by their spouse at the deepest and most vulnerable level, which brings trust. When a marriage is placed firmly on Christ, it makes it harder for the enemy to weasel his way in.
Children tend to thrive when their mother and father are married. It provides a safe and healthy environment for them. When a child’s parents are facing adversity their behavior may change. When God commanded man and woman to be fruitful and multiply. He recognized the value in a child having the security of both mother and father as one. Children, on average, do better in school, have minor behavioral issues, and have a better chance at forming healthy relationships when they live under the roof of two parents. A healthy marriage gives your children a front row seat to experience the benefits of a deep family bond.
After God created man and woman He saw that it was good. By nature our God is a God of relationships as we see in the trinity as well as the creation of angels; therefore He recognized the immediate need for companionship for Adam. God created women to be the perfect match, companion, and help mate for him. Marriage is a precious gift from God that refines, strengthens, empowers, teaches, and ultimately points us back to Him. It is God’s best for you and the person you choose to spend your life with. Couples who have allowed God to be at the center of their lives individually and relationally become a living testimony of God’s blessings and redeeming love.