Day 1: A Marriage that is Not of this World

When I walked down the aisle to marry my husband 15 years ago, I had no idea how hard life was going to be.  Yes, I had plans of giving my husband honor and respect and I was hopeful that we’d serve the Lord together and raise up Godly offspring, but I didn’t realize how much God was going to require of me to die to myself in this process.

I was a hopeful new Believer anticipating not only my new life in Christ, but my new marriage as well.  However, I had zero understanding that my marriage could possibly draw others closer to Jesus Christ.  I didn’t learn this truth until many, many years later, and let me tell you, they were hard years!  I wasn’t walking The Narrow Path, I was crawling it and many times I needed to be carried along the way!

At some point in my spiritual journey, I read this verse:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2 (NIV)

I’ve only thought of this verse and how it applied to me, but I never really thought of applying it to my marriage until one day when I was thinking about how a Christian marriage is designed to reflect Christ and the Church.  And then it hit me…

When I’m going through trials, my marriage should look different than the world’s type of marriages because I’ve got a great God who guides me, loves me, comforts me and convicts me!  Therefore, my marriage should stand out and cause people to want to become Christians based on how I go about my life.  This is much easier to type out than to live out!

A few years back my man and I were in a pretty horrendous trial.  With tears in my eyes, I couldn’t help but ask my Lord, “Why are you taking us through all of this?”

I remember that day so well…

My body was weak.

My mind was spent.

My marriage consisted of a man and woman trying not to drown in the tsunami that we were living in.

And my faith was at a defining moment.

How was I going to respond in this trial?  Was I going to blame my husband?  Lash out at him?  Fight with him because my world was spinning out of control?  Or would I be tempted to curse God like Job’s wife wanted him to do because of all their suffering?

I had a choice in how I was going to conduct myself.  Was I going to stand on the Truth or listen to the lies from the Enemy?

And the Lord whispered to me that day, “Daughter, who are you going to worship?”  Is it you or Me?  Are you going to embrace your fears and cling to them?  Or are you going to embrace Me and walk by faith?

Deep sigh.  Yeah, that’s how my Father and I roll.  We have conversations like that often and many times it bends me out of shape because I know He is leading me to do hard things!

So I thought about that day and what my Lord was asking me, and of course I was convicted.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Yep, I think this verse will convict just about any Christian wife!  The Apostle Paul says,  “True and proper worship.” That’s what life and marriage really boils down to, doesn’t it?  I can’t help but ask myself the question, “Am I willing to worship the Lord in my life and in my marriage?”

As Christians, our lives are always on display for the whole world to see.  What do others see when they look at us? Our marriages?  How we go through trials?  Do our actions and attitudes show that we really trust God?  Does God’s Word really have the answers for a thriving marriage? (Yes, it does!  I’ll come back here at the end of the series and share with you a few practical tips.)

Since Jesus Christ is everything I live for and because He’s the Ruler of my heart….

I want my marriage to reflect Him;  a marriage filled with grace, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, and love towards my husband.

The world’s marriages don’t have the power of the Living God residing in them, but mine does.

The world’s marriages don’t have the ability to love and lay down their lives for their spouse, but mine does.

The world’s marriages don’t have the Word of God guiding them into all Truth, but mine does.

If I choose to worship the Lord and not myself, then my marriage will essentially look like it’s not of this world.  It’s this pursuit that will draw the world to Jesus Christ, not to mention cause the natural by-product of a better marriage!

I want to worship Jesus, after all, it was my sin that placed Him on the Cross.

I have learned that when I seek to bring God glory with my marriage, His glory unfolds in my marriage.

I challenge you to take a step of faith today and for the rest of this series and lay your man, your marriage, and the possible mess you’re living in, at your Messiah’s feet and watch His glory unfold in your life.

Live a poured out life for Christ,