Posts Tagged ‘Marriage’

Marriage Retreat Weekend

September 11th, 2009

We are heading out for a marriage retreat this weekend. While I’m looking forward to learning more about myths of marriage, solid foundations for marriage, and what spouses can do to be good to each other, I’m most looking forward to spending some quality time with Katherine – my amazing wife – and some quality time with God.

We have never been on a marriage retreat before, so this will be a new experience for us. We would certainly appreciate your prayers over the weekend. Without the hand of God, we’ll just be spending time away from our usual weekend.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Why Should Spouses be Good to Each Other?

August 8th, 2009
Father and Daughter at the Zoo
Image by newagecrap via Flickr

A couple of days ago, I wrote about a right (Biblical) relationship between a husband and wife. How submission and surrender can be freeing and can help the “two become one flesh” (Mark 10:8). I trust that you went to listen to Pastor Barbie’s sermon, where she laid out a beautiful picture of how this can look. A picture filled with grace and freedom, not condemnation and legalism.

So now the question follows: Why?

Why should a wife an wife pursue a right relationship with each other? What’s the point? Here are five reasons, just off the top of my head. Perhaps you have some more – share those in the comments section below.

  1. It’s in the Bible (Ephesians 5:21-33) – For a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, this alone should be a good reason.
  2. A right relationship between husband and wife improves their marriage.
  3. When things are right at home, we are free to minister to others.
  4. The relationship between a husband and a wife reflect on the nature of God (refer again to Ephesians 5:21-33).
  5. We are better role models for our children – when we model a good relationship, we give our children a chance to have a marriage relationship that is as good as (or better than) our own.

Perhaps you know of some reasons as well. Perhaps you have a story of how your parents’ relationship has affected your life. You should share those in the comments section below. I’d love to hear your stories.

I’ll close with the chorus from “Daughters” by John Mayer. Fathers and mothers, be good to your daughters (and sons). Treat them well. Raise them well. And model a Biblical marriage relationship.

Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too

John Mayer “Daughters”
Heavier Things Sony 2003

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Spouses Be Good to Each Other

August 7th, 2009
sweet embrace

In the Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul tells us that wives should “submit to their own husbands.” This, however, is not a license to subjugate women to the whims of men. In fact, teaching this is a misuse of the word of God and requires that we ignore the context of this passage.

At the risk of being accused of taking scripture out of context, I’m only including a small portion of this passage. You can however, view the section here, to see whether I’m looking at all of it.

Ephesians 5:22-23
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.

Ephesians 5:25-27
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.

Here’s the thing, though. While I’ve known for some time that this prescription for marriage relationship was much more beautiful than a man saying “do this,” I’ve never had a good understanding of how to explain it.

Enter Pastor Barbie Loflin (Twitter, Facebook, Blogger). She presented the most beautiful picture of submission and surrender in the context of a marriage that I have ever heard. Of the holy embrace of husband and wife as they work out their relationship, endeavoring to become one flesh.

There’s no way I can do her message justice. You should check out the whole thing here.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]