Marriage Portrait

Have you ever thought about how important marriage is to the Gospel? It is crucial that God established His pure concept of marriage so that He could describe the relationship Christ has for the church. It is a beautiful image that has been painted with perfection as only God could do.

It hit me last night after my beautiful wife gave me a Daily Walk Bible to cheer me up. I had been having a hard past few weeks due to a leg injury and work issues. I started skimming through it right away as I always do when I receive a new I receive a translation I have not owned ( this time it was NLT ). I decided to read from Genesis. At the end of the second chapter I read verses 23-25. From the start God points us in the direction to leave our parents so we can become one with our spouse!

Why is this so important to the Gospel narrative? The answer is in the terminology the Word gives us to describe Christs' return! He is the Groom and the church is the bride! This paints the picture of Christ and the church's longing to be together. Christ is ready to be with His bride and longs for her! But is there more we can take from this?

Think about the verse in Genesis! God wants us to draw so close to Him that we become one with his heart. He wants us to love His son in such a way that we would be willing to give everything to show our affection to Him. He wants His church to be a perfect bride for Christ! Just like in a worldly marriage He wants us to leave our "parents" and become one with Christ!

What or Who plays the role of our parents in this setting? My belief is that the parents we need to separate from is our sin. But we all know that we cannot completely leave our sin because no one is perfect! So how could this be the parents?

In most marriages there is that one set of parents that always wants to come in and keep control. If you have a perfect family on both ends you really should play the lottery because luck is on your side! All jokes aside this is just how sin acts in our relationship with Christ! He walk into your home and tells you how things should be done. Your dishes should be this way, fold it that way, clean your floors with this cleaner, watch this provocative video, drink another drink........... I think you get the picture. Sin is that mother or mother in-law that cannot let go and allow your marriage to grow to its full potential!

If the church as a whole does not deal with this parent it can do a lot of damage. It damages our connection with Christ and hinders communication. Christ wants to trust you with important tasks and gifts but has to wait so you don't waste your energy on the parents that won't let go of the control they used to have over you!


Prayer:
Lord I thank you for loving me enough to send your son to die for me! Your love is amazing and overwhelms my soul. I long to grow close to you! Jesus draw me in so that I can become a living testimony of your love. Help me to separate myself from my sinfulness. Cover me in the blood of Christ and anoint my life. Keep your presence near and surround me with your grace. Baptize me in your spirit that I may be filled from the inside out. I love you Lord. Keep me safe and protect my heart. I give you all of me. I trust your plan for my life. I thank you for who you are. I pray this in the precious name of Jesus Christ my savior. Amen!