MARCH 11 DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING: EPHESIANS 5:21-33
One of the first things God did after creation was establish marriage. God said, "A man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.” It was God who brought the first man to the first woman, declaring, "It is not good that man should be alone.” It was God's design that marriage be one man and one woman for a lifetime. Understanding this is why we say “until death do us part” in the wedding vows. It is a statement of both commitment and intent. That we would have a biblical marriage where the Lord is the center and head of all things, and the man and woman love and respect each other. It is not the state that defines marriage, it is God in His Word, and He declared that He made the male and female and that a biblical marriage would be between a man and a woman before God.
The Apostle Paul talks about marriage and likens it to the relationship of Christ and His church. In Ephesians he begins his writings on this matter by saying, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Biblical marriage calls for mutual submission. God specifically called the man to, "love your wife.” She is to be the apple of his eye and apart from his relationship with God; she is to be the most important person in his life. In this proper order not only is she blessed, but the subsequent generations are blessed to see this. To the woman, God says, "Wives, you are to submit to your own husbands.” Wives are to properly relate to their own husband. God has called the wife as a helpmate, to come along side of her husband in the Lord, that the Lord's will and work might be accomplished in the home and in society. People break the covenant of marriage because of a hardness of heart according to Jesus....this is done by either one or both. We have a merciful God who loves us and forgives our hardness of heart and disobedience, but it is His desire that we marry and stay in a committed, strong, growing relationship with our spouse for a lifetime.
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