The Vital Institution

With today’s important vote on marriage in Maine, I thought it only appropriate to write down a few of my collective thoughts on this sacred institution and the importance of it’s impact on our world.

In our day and age, people are delaying marriage. “I want to live my life first, then settle down and start a family” is what they say, as if marriage is sort of a second choice. People in my generation don’t want to be “strapped down” to any one person, so they play the dating game for fun and frivolity. I think this is a direct assault on marriage and I also think it is a result of the lack of understanding of marriage in the youth of America. They see it as something to benefit or not benefit themselves; a gain mentality or even an upgrade in status. I must confess in my own life, these have been my views as well. It was something I was going to do eventually, but my interest in the here and now always took precedence.

The lack of understanding and motivation in generation X is directly effecting the families in the church. There are lots of scattered singles (not that singleness is a bad thing) who are living individual lives and this thought of the independent, fun lifestyle and prolonged adolescence pervades the church universal. It may sound like I’m being harsh, but just think about all of those thirty something year old men who play on their xboxes constantly. And we wonder why the church is weak.

I know many single women and a few single men who are very purposeful with the time they the Lord has given them in this season. They are just as important to the church. But the issue is the waning marriages. This institution that is supposed to be a sacred example of Christ and the Church is being pummelled and demeaned by the world’s non-chalant view of it. Live-in couples substitute for strong, life-long marriages. Divorces, remarriages and more divorces skyrocket in statistics. And the worst of all is that these things are happening within the church in nearly the same percentages as the world. We are letting the world influence the church far too much. It is no wonder that people are trying to re-define it!

Marriage began in the Garden of Eden between man and woman. Any other form of marriage is wrong. Adam and Eve were man and wife for life. If God had intended that Adam be partnered for life with another man, He would have established that from the beginning. If He thought that animals were enough for Adam, He wouldn’t have created Eve. Foundations. One man and one woman for life. These are the leaders and nurturers of the next group of men and women. The family is so necessary to God’s Kingdom and if a marriage is rocky or frail, the family will suffer. A good marriage that is centered on Christ is the force of the family.

So, what can we do to protect and encourage and strengthen godly matrimony specifically as single young men or young women? Praying fervently for the marriages in your sphere is a huge support! God uses the fervent prayers of His children, so don’t neglect this! Vote pro-family in today’s election. You may be called “homophobic” or “prejudiced” or even “hateful” by voting “Yes on 1,” but by the Lord, you will be considered a “good and faithful servant.” Invest in the marriages around you by encouraging women who are striving to be godly, submissive and house-building wives (Proverbs 14:1) if you are young ladies. Encourage and exhort men who are striving to be servant-leaders in their families, if you are young men. Offer to watch the children of the couples around you so that they can go out on a date and spend some alone time together. And, when the Lord brings the right person along for you, marry well!

The last one may seem out of your reach, ladies, but while you’re waiting for your Isaac, don’t get distracted by the “frogs” that try to trap you and you will be doing your part to have a godly marriage someday!

God is good. Rest assured that nothing will happen that He does not allow and His plans for His glory and the good of His people will always prevail! (Romans 8:28-29)