Every person knows at least one marriage that has come under attack at one time or another. Why is marriage looked at as a dirty word? Why is marriage considered as losing your freedom? The current average length of a marriage is just eight years. Why is cohabitation and the number of affairs on a rise?
The beautiful covenant of marriage has become so distorted in today’s society and media. This distortion of marriage is depicted perfectly on a new TV show that premieres this month (July 17) on USA Network. The commercial alone provides a tragic picture of where most marriages are at today. Satisfaction is about a man who comes home from work early and walks in on his wife and another man. He later finds out that his wife met this man at a bar (first problem) with some of her friends (second problem) and pays him for sexual favors (third problem). The husband is so upset and caught by surprise that his wife could do such a thing. The husband decides that the only way he could fully understand the situation, is to do it himself. So, like his wife, he steps outside the marital boundaries and begins to have sexual relations with other women. Feeling more alive and satisfied, he comes to the conclusion that he will continue to make a profit out of his sin. The commercial then goes on and on and asks several questions like, can I really be with one person for the rest of my life?, would you risk your marriage in order to save it?, can I really be satisfied by just one man?, etc.
What is marriage?
The original plan for marriage is clearly depicted in Genesis 2:18-25. The man and woman are to become one and to compliment each other all while bringing glory to God. So often one spouse uses the excuse, I’m just not happy anymore or my spouse does not give me joy or contentment like he/she used to. Joy and happiness does not come from from the other person. One can only find true joy and happiness by doing marriage God’s way. That simple.
If your spouse has hurt you, you are called to a place of forgiveness. You are not called to get even or do the same in order to “understand the situation”. Marriage has no room for selfishness or to play score with the other persons emotions. Often pastors go straight to the passage in Matthew to speak on divorce and marriage (Matt. 19:1-10). What no one seems to mention is the chapter right before this passage. Matthew 18 spends a good portion speaking on the topic of forgiveness. Do you think it is just by chance that Matthew talks about the topic of forgiveness right before he goes into divorce and marriage? Marriage is the biblical definition of forgiveness. You have two sinners living in close quarters with one another for life. You see the good, bad, and the ugly and you are still called to love them unconditionally. I have some shocking news for you, marriage is not about your happiness or making sure you are satisfied. Marriage is glorifying God and letting the almighty King supply your satisfaction.