Marriage is the most wonderful relationship and also the most difficult.

Our culture today has given it a bad rep and many today, especially our generation is ending in divorce, even by those who claim that Christ is the center of their lives, but in their selfishness they say, "God didn't really mean for me to marry him/her, " or "He/she isn't the same one I married." We are here to say it doesn't have to be this way and it mustn't be this way. Just as some of the martyred Christians have to say, "The Lord is with me even unto death." We must say, " The Lord is with us and He wants us to remain as faithful to each other as unto Christ Himself." 

We have learned many things in our 12 years of marriage. Many times even though we were very much in love at first, (we still are), we've often wondered, "Why are we married? " And as the years go by with you, you will learn many things and receive lots of advice and the best thing you can do is pass on what you learn to others and pray they will listen & will glean wisdom. You must appreciate the wisdom from those who give it to you, for the Lord has sent them if your His child and He gives wisdom as a gift. There are many verses in the Bible on marriage. Learn them and memorize them. They will be your strength in hard times. Also, never let the word divorce be a part of your vocabulary. Agree together as soon as you can to that and never go over that boundary.

Submission is a word that has also been given a bad rep. The Bible says in Eph. 5:22-24 "Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord. for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. Now as the church should submit to their husbands in everything."

This does not mean husband walk all over your wife and make her your door mat. Submission simply means 3 things: 1. complete him 2. honor him 3. mature him. It is the wife's duty to do these, this is submission. Why wouldn't a wife want to submit to the husband who is serving Christ and obeying His word to be more like Him? That is the key, to be more like Christ.

The husband is head over the wife and this means he is the one who uses his authority to make sure love, justice, and mercy rule in his home. He is the one who, like Christ, tries, because of his flesh, to be the ultimate example of self-sacrifice as Christ was for him. Can he do this in his own strength? Absolutely not! But, he can meditate on what Christ has done for him at the cross and treat his wife as Christ treats him, and Christ will supply the grace to do so.

Eph. 5: 25-27 says, "Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her by washing with water through the word, and to present without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Husband/fathers are the foundations that lift their families up for the glory of God. They are also the protectors and must be willing to accept the responsibility to oversee all that his wife and family comes in contact with making sure it's not harmful to them physically, spiritually, and emotionally. 

Really, when we think about it, we are all, as Christians, supposed to give ourselves away for the good of another. This would be fulfilling God's purpose. Why wouldn't we want to do this for our lifetime-mate? The giving of ourselves is a fragrant sacrifice to God.

We can make marriage a wonderful, fulfilling relationship if we are willing to lay down our selves for the good of another and center it around the One whom we owe everything and remember that we have no rights, because we owe all to Him. Our marriage and family can and will flourish if we are willing to do this. The enemy will always be there to take our eyes off of what God has commanded us to do, but remember the scriptures, "And let us not grow weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not." Gal. 6:9

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart, declares the Lord."
Jer. 29:11-13

Which tells us to pray, pray, pray & never give up!

About the Authors

Email Jeff & Melinda Eckhardt at COeckhardt@cnonline.net.