Marriage Matters, Pt. 1

This week we will look at roles & responsibilities of husbands & wives & the powerful analogy marriage serves for Jesus' relationship with His Church.

Marriage Matters, Pt. 1

"Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."

(Ephesians 5:33)

During the months of September and October, our church is focusing on the family. We are emphasizing the importance of God's design for humanity, which includes the basic building block of society: the homogenous unit of the family. Part of the reason I wanted to lead our church in this concerted effort to focus on families is because of Satan's ever-more intense onslaught on families and especially marriages in our current era in Western civilization.

I have been married 38 years to Ashley, attended marriage seminars, read books on marriage, preached sermons on marriage, and helped some in marriage counseling. However, I admit, I am still learning and growing in my understanding of this beautiful and complex creation of God called marriage.

For five Wednesday nights this fall, we are sharing some practical things with our church on the subjects of marriage and parenting. Licensed counselor and pastor, Tommy Estes, taught one of the workshops and did a great job. We have two more workshops scheduled for October 9 and 16. You are invited to join us, but if you are unable to be with us in person, we will post these lessons on marriage and family online here. I look forward to our church hearing Steve and Debbie Wilson teach on marriage on Friday night October 25 at Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, TX.

Books, seminars, and lengthy discourses have been dedicated to the topic before us this week. My goal is to be biblical and practical. We will look at roles and responsibilities of husbands and wives as well as this deeply spiritual and powerful analogy that marriage serves for Jesus' relationship with His Church.

Now, let me say this about our biblical text for today's devotions: it may have been a minute since you heard a message from Ephesians 5. Keep in mind, you are reading a devotional that is dedicated to teaching God's Word, not the wisdom of the world. Our church believes in the Scriptures and that God meant what He said, and it has timeless value as the Word of God. What you read in these devotionals may offend your secular sensibilities regarding roles and responsibilities in marriage. Others will feel there is no way you could live up to what Scripture commands. But let us go for it. Let us be faithful to God and His Word and ask Him to speak to us, and whatever He tells us, let us obey.