A year ago, the word ‘marriage’ freaked me out. I could not imagine spending my entire life with one person. Plus, seeing the way marriage is portrayed in the media didn’t add to my desire to be married. The United States has one of the highest divorce rates which results in 50% of marriages failing. The rates for couples ages 20-24 have an even higher failing rate. Needless to say, I had my mind made up . . . I will be single forever.
It wasn’t until I learned God’s word and His views on marriage that I began to feel differently. Marriage is special to God. He created marriage as a way for Him to be the center of the relationship. When a couple makes The Lord the foundation of their relationship than they can overcome issues with God’s grace instead of by themselves. When we become married, we take an oath under God that we will love this person till death and in return God keeps His promises for the two.
One of God’s promises’ is to bless the married couple’s offspring. Those that have a child while married will never have to worry about the fate of their child because God always fulfills His promises. God created a spouse for each of us. He wants us to enjoy the company from one person and not from multiple partners. This is the reason why sex before marriage is a sin. When we have lustful desires, these feelings are not of God. Sexual immorality is a sinful act against our own body. God does not want us to live in sin which is why he created marriage.
Today’s society has become desensitized to sexual images, videos and song lyrics. We need to know God’s word for ourselves. We are in this world, but we are not of this world [Romans 12:2]. I used to ask myself, “If sex before marriage, fornication and pornography is so bad, than how can the porn industry be a billion dollar business?” Reading the bible helped me answer that question. This world is full of people that follow their own fleshly desires. People will sell their soul to the devil for money and not think twice about it. These people are living in the moment and are headed down a path of destruction. They think with worldly views and live hopelessly. These individuals create a wall of sin between themselves and God. We have to make sure that we are not walking on their path but instead we come to God daily. Just because ‘Sex sells’ and is seen as the norm, does not mean that it is righteous in the eyes of The Lord.
We have to come to God and ask God to remove any impurities and sinful desires from us. We have to ask God to show us the true meaning of marriage and how to follow His will. In the eyes of some, marriage has lost it’s value. I am here to encourage and remind you all that God has never changed his views on marriage despite what the media depicts.
Marriage should be taken seriously but it is nothing to be afraid of, like I once was. The promise made to one another is to ensure God, that you will be faithful and honor this ‘till death do us part‘. Marriages may not be easy, but the option of a divorce should not exist. If things are not working out in a marriage, pray for one another. Remember that God is the glue holding the relationship together. Before getting married, pray. Ask God if this is the person He has called you to be with. Often times people rush into marriage and once the honeymoon phase is over, they discover they don’t really know the person they’ve married. Take time to get to know your spouse and focus on building a connection beyond lust.
The story of the three little pigs is a great example of Marriage. The first two pigs built their house out of straw and sticks, which resulted in the wolf blowing down their homes. A relationship without a solid foundation will crumble before it begins. The third pig built his house out of brick, which made it impossible for the wolf to blow it down. This is the same for marriage. When God is the foundation of the relationship, it is solid. The enemy will not be able to enter and cause division because He will not be able to get through the brick wall. With God as the center in anything you do, you will always be on the path to happiness, life and success.