Marriage that Works

One of my favorite couples in the bible is Aquila and Priscilla. Not too much is said about them in the bible, but what is said is of great importance. Most of their story is found in Acts 18. They worked as a team in ministering to people about Jesus Christ. They opened their home and invited people into their world. I love this.

I have been on the failing side of marriage and on the good side. I have experience what happens in a marriage when God is not the focus and I have discovered the wonderful joys when Christ is the center.

In my previous marriage we were focused on ourselves. We did not look to God for direction in our life. Our marriage was consumed with sexual sin and drugs. I discovered that, in not allowing God to direct that marriage, our marriage was doomed from the beginning. Satan entered into my ex-husband with the allure, that the world of pornography and drugs was a better life. I followed my husband, I played the roll of a victim. I did everything that he wanted of me, in the belief that as long as I was obeying him, we would survive and have a happy marriage. I was so misdirected, so confused and so lost.

Yes, you are supposed to obey your husband and respect his wishes, but I was not supposed to go along with his desires that were directed by sin. My job was to show him, respectfully, that I was to follow God first and in obeying God first, my ex-husband may have been saved and our marriage may have ended in strength. I was weak, I was lost and I was the one that was wrong. I can blame no one, but myself for the decisions that I, ultimately, made. I chose to live in sin. How sad that truly is.

That marriage was doomed from the beginning. Going to Vegas to get married, was a good sign. I did not intend on leaving him, I just needed help in getting my life back together. God knew I needed to get out, in order to save my soul. I was too weak, and he knew that. I left with fear, resentment, hate, bitterness, and just plain contempt for men in general. I was so lost, but I knew I needed God. Everything I had done on my own, I had messed up. God had to do this one, and boy, did he.

Only one month after I had left, God introduced me to Jason. He took an enemy of mine, a man, and showed me who Jesus was. I saw him as week and pathetic, like I saw all men. I desperately wanted to follow God, but what was he thinking? I was just along for the ride. I had told God, if he would just guide me I would follow, but surly this could not be the answer. How wonderful God is, how mysterious are his ways.

Jason and I entered into our relationship with God as the director. Jason, a virgin, couldn't really understand what God was doing, telling him to be with me. I could not understand what God was doing, telling me to be with a man that I saw as truly one of the weakest men I had known. You see, I thought that being a man, was being macho. I was shown that true masculinity begins with strength from within. Jason is one of the strongest men I have ever known. I am so proud of my strong husband. He is not my savior, Jesus is my savior. Jason did allow God to use him. He showed a hurting, broken woman how strong a man of God truly is.

In saying all of this, brings me back to the purpose of writing this, God can give you what you need, when you are ready for him. One of the greatest married teams of the bible, Aquila and Priscilla, allowed God to direct their marriage. Jason and I truly try to model our relationship after them. We open our lives and our home up, for the desires of God. We try and hold nothing back, for God is the owner of our lives, and really, we are just here for the ride. I try and allow the mistakes I have made to help others on their journey in knowing God. So, they can make better choices than I did.

I have discovered my role, as my husband's helper. Jason is the leader of our home and his leader is Christ. This marriage, because Christ is the center, is working and strong. This is the only way to have a truly fulfilling relationship with your spouse. I have tried it both ways. Christ is the only one that brings true joy. Submitting to a godly man is true liberation.