Key Verse:
“But those who marry will face many troubles in this life.”
(1 Cor. 7: 28b)
Central Truth:
There is an enemy that seeks to destroy your marriage and family, but there is hope in the One who created marriage.
AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER . . .
Recently I learned that a prominent political couple is getting a divorce after being married for forty years. A lady that writes a blog that I read just finalized her divorce. I have a friend whom I love dearly that just filed for divorce, on her birthday. I wish that I could say that this is shocking to me, but I just can’t. Divorce is all around us. It shows very little distinction or favoritism toward any type, race, or education. How did we get to this place where it is a normal or accepted occurrence to “throw in the towel,” to call it quits after living a lifetime with someone?
To be perfectly honest, I think we are unprepared. We ladies grow up on fairy tales about a princess who is rescued by a dashing prince. We assume our prince will always be romantic and bring flowers and love notes… and we live happily ever after. Men grow up with the idea that once they are married to the perfect woman they will have the respect they need, a clean house, dinner when they come home, and a partner who is always “ready” when he is in the mood…and they will live happily ever after. Now it is not wrong, nor sinful, to desire some of these things, but the expectation that these things come naturally with every young marriage is just as fanciful as a pumpkin turning into a horse drawn carriage.
The truth is that marriage is hard, painfully hard at times. You take two completely different people from two completely different backgrounds, mash them together, and add the stress of paying bills, work, and taking care of a home. Then, some of us who are truly gluttons for punishment add children! Why is it so hard?! Paul had some insight into this long before we walked down our rose petaled aisles. He said, “But those who marry will face many troubles in this life . . . .” Why would he say this?
Well, let’s look to the beginning. God created all the animals, and Adam named them. God then decided that there was no suitable helper for Adam. So, in turn, God created Eve from Adam and instituted the first marriage…and they lived happily ever after. Okay, so…not exactly. In fact, it changes in the next chapter where Eve is deceived by the serpent, Adam remains silent, and both sin. In Genesis 3:16, God is handing out the consequences for their disobedience. God says to Eve, “your desire will be for [you to control] your husband, and he will rule over you.” Well, I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like problems just waiting to happen.
Did you notice something sinister in this story? Something specific threatened Adam and Eve’s marriage. God created the marriage and it was good, without shame, food a plenty, and oneness. The serpent came in and deceived Eve. Something attacked their marriage! It may not have looked like an attack, but it was - a well crafted, devious attack to divide and conquer. It split the oneness between Adam and Eve, and it split the intimacy between their marriage and God. Marriage is opposed by the lion that seeks to devour and destroy. Adam and Eve were unprepared for the attack. In fact, it never crossed their minds that something would be against them. We tend to be in the same place as Adam and Eve, unprepared and unaware of the spiritual battle raging for our marriages.
That same enemy is still on the prowl. He still seeks to destroy your marriage and family. The Good News is that there is hope in the One who created marriage. He provides strength and the tools (Eph. 6:10 -18) to prepare for the attacker. Yes, marriage is hard, but with God and a willingness to fight, all things are possible, even a great marriage.
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