I have lived two very different marriages, one without God and one in God. How I love the one in God, for God's love is the only way to have a good marriage. My marriage with Jason did not start out as most marriages do. We can truly say that the reason that we got married, was because we felt that was what God was telling each of us to do. God was the reason we were together and God was the reason we got married. Anyone in their right mind would not have wanted to marry me at that time, for let me tell you, I was a broken and battered woman. Jason was not what I would have chosen either. He just was not my type, but I had learned that "my type" was not the right type. Even though the first few years of our relationship were very hard, we were following God from the beginning, and because of this, we have a very blessed marriage.
My vows: Jason, I love you and I know that you love me, I am confident that God has chosen you to be my husband, It is my prayer and desire that you will find in me, the help mate God designed especially for you, And in confidence I will submit myself unto your leadership...
Jason's vows: Jenny, I love you and I know this love is from God, Because of this I want to be your husband, So that we might serve Christ together, Through all of the uncertainties and trials of the present and future, I promise to be faithful to you and love you, I promise to guide and protect you...
I can say with confidence that we have a marriage that represents the love of Christ and trust me, it is wonderful. We did it right, but if you think laying down our own desires in the beginning was easy, you are nuts. It is hard to let go of your life and let Christ take control. Everything in our nature was screaming, "run." But instead of running, we both held on to that small calm inside that was saying, "let Me take control, so that I can bless you."
Ephesians 5:21ff, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."
When I left my ex, I left a note on the table. In that note, I said that I needed to be cherished as a wife and not destroyed. For our marriage was not a godly marriage it was selfish and destructive. Then God gave me Jason. I did not understand how much Christ loved me, until I felt the redeeming love of my Husband. He did not care where I had been or the baggage that I was bringing into the marriage. He washed me and helped me to feel pure. He cleansed me and cherished me as his bride, the only one he would ever want. He made me his, and his love was a godly love. He did not want to share my love with anyone, or anything. He loved me enough to show me who I really was, and that was a bride covered under the protection of her groom. This man holds my heart, body, spirit, and soul in his hands. I respect him, with the highest respect. He showed me who my true savior was, by mimicking Him. With God as our foundation, we have discovered what marriages are really for.
Jimmy Evans, "Satan has a special hatred toward marriages. Marriage is the visible image of Christs relationship with the church, in this world. In this way, marriages project the very image of God on Earth... Satan is trying to tear down marriages so that God's authority on Earth will be compromised. Satan did not attack Adam and Eve, he attacked marriages." What is your marriage saying to others about God? How do you treat your spouse? Are they able to see Christ's redeeming love through your actions towards them? Are you cherishing and washing your bride? Are you honoring and respecting your husband? Are you loving yourself, by loving the one you are with? I have had two marriages, one with God and one without Him. With Him leading, you can never go wrong. It is through your marriage that He wanted others to see His love. Do they?
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