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My wife, Kris, and I recently returned from leading an “Inspired Marriages” retreat at Riverside Bible Camp in Story City, Iowa. It was a truly enriching and inspiring time for us! There were couples there from all ages and stages of married life. One young couple was engaged and just a few months away from their wedding day and other couples were in the later stages of married life having been married for 40 years and beyond.
For many of us, marriage is hard work. Relationships can be very challenging in a broken and fallen world. We not only face the challenge of our own personal selfishness and sinfulness in marriage but also the resistance of a very real spiritual enemy. The Bible reveals to us that the union of a man and woman in the lifelong covenant marriage relationship is something that God designed in the very beginning.
"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Genesis 2:24
If someone takes the time to think about it, it’s hard not to wonder and marvel at the truly mysterious and miraculous nature of the whole idea of marriage. The Holy Scriptures tell us that we are created in God’s image, both male and female. Contrary to confusing and popular made-up modern ideas, we were actually separated into two genders by God Himself in the Garden of Eden.
"And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man He made into a woman and brought her to the man." Genesis 2:22
Man was created first (from the dust of the ground) and then woman was pulled out from the side of the first man. After the first woman was fashioned together by God He brought her to the man. When we consider how we are each made so uniquely with unique God-given characteristics that are complementary in so many ways, it is clearly a testimony to Intelligent Design. The testimony of the uniqueness of our bodies and how they function uniquely, express different characteristics of the nature of our Creator as revealed in the Bible, and fit together for reproductive purposes all speak to us about the wonder of the One who made these things.
It is easy to see that a marriage relationship between a man and a woman is the most perfect representation of the nature of the unseen God in all of creation. It is also the first and therefore priority social relationship established by God in all of human history. It can easily be said that as goes marriage, so goes culture and society. Many studies in history have shown this to be true. In helping to strengthen the biblical marriage unions of a culture, we are literally helping to firm up the very foundation of that society.
We can be sure that the one known as “the evil one” is working against flourishing marriage unions. He clearly hates God and everything that represents Him. He is still working tirelessly to redefine and destroy what God has created as a reflection of Himself. This is why we will keep working to support, encourage, pray for, and inspire marriage unions in our world today. It’s a part of helping preserve our society and culture. This was what we as the “salt and light” of the world are called to do by God Himself.
Thanks so much for your support in this work along with your support of all of our other work. Your prayers, gifts, and encouragement are all appreciated!
Blessings from all of us at Inspired Life.
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