Friday, 29th March 2024
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What Does Marriage Mean?

“THEREFORE, shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24). “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh. “This is a great MYSTERY: but I speak concerning Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32).
image source mendourmarriage

image source mendourmarriage

“THEREFORE, shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24). “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh. “This is a great MYSTERY: but I speak concerning Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32).

“There be three things, which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: the way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon the rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid” (Proverbs 30:18-19). If you are not married and you are independent of parents (financially) and you have a place you live, then start planning marriage. One of the greatest experiences of man is marriage.

Marriage is a great mystery, but a marvellous one at that. Marriage is not just sex; marriage is not a fling or a one-time affair or whatever we do these days in the name of relationship or dating. Marriage is far more than the best intimacy with anyone on earth. Marriage itself is a miracle.

It changes you forever. Marriage should never be dreaded; in it is the supernatural manifestation you never know. Marriage is not really as difficult as many have posed it. I think it is the way we see it that makes it that way. We view the challenges in marriage so different from what anyone faces in life.

Married or not, there would be challenges and difficulties. Marry anyway! You may need to pray, seek counsel, to choose the right person and go about it the proper way, but that is how it is.

The wonderful things I observed about marriage are given below. It came exactly after creation. God made everything good, but said it is not good for man to be alone. Marriage is a good thing. But more than that; it has an origin from Adam. It is what not evolved over the years or a new social culture.

It has always been from the beginning. In fact, the divorce we have today is not the original plan. Marriage is the oldest social institution in the world. Schools, education, civilisation, music, came much later. Marriage began every other thing. So, when you marry, you have identified yourself with the beginning.

It is like a new beginning. Marriage is a mystery. Two becoming one flesh is not as we see it in a fling or some amorous and amoral relationships. In marriage, the union is more than sex.

God Himself joins the couple to become one flesh. That is why every break or divorce leaves unending pain. Only those who are married understand a bit of this. No matter how you want to be adulterous and unfaithful to your spouse, there is something you can’t deny- oneness. God is a witness to every marital vow. And He is a strong one. What joined you together are not your in-laws or friends, or relatives; it was God.

I can bet, He does every job well. If He made you one, you better believe it. Marriage is a miracle of creation. It is in marriage we think of making a family. Have you seen couples and their children? The feelings? The reality of what we can’t explain. Two people, give birth to children with the two different DNAs, abilities and skills fused into one. God is great. Marriage is beautiful. Marriage is a place where children can be raised.

You may not have gotten your own biological children, but I tell you everyone who is married has a right to a child, has a right to be called father or mother. Marriage is where we have a companion for a lifetime.

That is what marriage affords us; that someone will be part of life, chart the course with you, follow you and fight with you and for you in the journey of life. Marriage is not a bed of roses, as they say, but marriage is the platform from which you can fight life’s battle successfully.

Marriage means future for the family, for the lineage. So, any time you marry, think of a generation. That is the more reason you should be careful who you want to spend it all with. Marriage doesn’t mean you will always be happy, have sex every day and enjoy endless bliss. There will be tough days, misunderstandings, quarrel, doubts, fears and threats that sometimes you think you can’t bear it anymore. But I say here that you will eventually win.

I don’t know how life will end or when, but I think every marriage is worth fighting for, no matter how it eventually ends. Every marriage will end, mostly by death, but what that marriage has done in this world would mean a lot in the afterlife. That marriage, that family is your real story.

Your most faithful fans should be those of your household. Marriage means responsibility. It means you are bold. It is not an escape from sexual sin or fornication. It is more! It means you are part of a great thing happening in the world. It means you are strong.

It means you are here and you want to live in full. It means you dared to stick your life with someone, trusting God to see the end with joy. When people marry, I see it. As I preach or join them, I pray heartily for them. We congratulate people who marry, because they have done something for us in the world.

They are not married just for themselves; they are actually giving us something to live for, even for those who may not marry in this world. It is interesting to note that God honours marriage, whether it is done in a courtroom, church, mosque or wherever people deify. God seems to silently hover around couples, during weddings, honeymoons, hard stars, radiant sunrise and sour seasons. God is there. He started it.

He knows what to do about every challenge every marriage is passing through. I don’t have problems with people being gay; it is their proclivity and inclinations. But marriage? It is not for them to decide. It is ultimately God’s way. He made them (couple)- male and female.

And honestly, if we want His blessings, we should follow suit. Marriage is honourable in all. But it is not only in marriage that people are honoured. That we are married doesn’t mean we are better than those who didn’t. Some people will not marry and God has a reason for it too.

There were people who were made eunuchs from their mother’s womb. Some remain that way because of their consecration or commitment or some other personal reality in their lives.

When we marry, we should think ‘our family’ to exclude others. We all came from one family and you need bring in people who are lonely, and maybe didn’t get married.

You may have them- sisters, cousins, relatives or even friends. Your home should accommodate even those who are not blood-related to you. Jesus included people who are not His biological siblings and call them mother, sisters and brethren. ‘God sets the solitary in families.’ Is your family one of such? -E.C. Samuel (crossrayz@gmail.com, 08027173447, Intimate Faith Ministry)

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