Deik and Kim, remember that marriage is a COVENANT relationship. It is not merely a contract of convenience, nor a promise to live together as long as each still feels good about the other. It is a COVENANT to love and care for each other until parted by death, or until the coming of our Lord.
Throughout history, covenants have been made between Nations, between Kings and their subjects, between individuals (as in marriage), and even between God and Man. When such a covenant was established, there were rights and duties on both sides, and the covenants were sealed by gifts, by a kiss, by a handshake, or by the sharing of a common meal.
Today, as DEIK and KIM make their COVENANT of marriage to each other, you will see and enjoy these elements:
? they will hold each other's hands,
? they will give each other their gifts of rings,
? they will kiss to seal the covenant,
? and they will invite you to share a meal together with them at the reception.
All because their Marriage is a covenant relationship of love and faith.
To put this in context, back in Genesis, after the Fall of Mankind, when God was declaring His judgments, and passing out the consequences for the deception and the sin, He pointed out that one of the consequences of a fallen human nature would be that husbands and wives would have conflict in their marriage relationships, as wife would seek to take over the husband's leadership position, and the husband would respond to the challenge forcefully.
God pointed out to Eve, with Adam right there listening, that, "Your desire will be for your husband, but he will rule over you."
Now our first thought might be that God is telling Eve that she will have a pure love and desire for her husband, but that he will be some cave man and just want to be the boss, ruling over his wife. But that is not the sense of what God is saying. God uses the exact same phrase, the same words, when he is speaking to Cain in Genesis Chapter Four and warns him that, "Sin is crouching at your door, and seeks to devour you, but you must master it."
What God is saying to Eve is that she will seek to conquer her husband, but that he will respond by mastering, or ruling over her. As a consequence for their sin, they will not have the loving marriage relationship that God had originally intended for them to enjoy.
Now, fast forward several thousand years, and God gives us the remedy for this problem in marriage. In Ephesians chapters Four and Five, St. Paul gives us great instruction on how we should live in society as Christians, what our attitudes and behaviors should be, how we should treat each other.
He begins this section with these words, "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling that you have received. Be 100% humble, and gentle. Be patient with each other and make allowances for each other's faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace."
He continues with other powerful, life-changing instructions. And then comes to the place of addressing this specific problem with marriages that we just talked about. God's remedy for the problem caused by Eve's self-centeredness, that the wife would "desire to conquer" her husband, is this?
Paul writes?
"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything."
Submission is God's remedy for a heart that seeks to be in charge and be in control.
Then, Paul addresses the husband's response of wanting to forcefully rule over his wife. God's remedy for this is?
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and willingly suffered and died for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
His summary is?
"? each one of you husbands must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Paul is telling husbands that they are not to rule over their wives, but rather that a husband is to love his bride in the same way that Christ loves His Bride, the Church. And that each husband is to be preparing his bride for eternity in Heaven.
So Kim, I challenge you to not allow your "inner Eve" to try to conquer Deik, but instead willingly submit to him, in the same way that Christ submitted to the Father, and work with him as the partner and lover that God always intended a bride to be for her husband.
And Deik, I challenge you to love Kim with the same intensity of self-sacrificing love that Christ has for his bride, the Church - never seeking to dominate her, but rather always working to prepare Kim for eternity.
And I challenge you both as a couple, to use your marriage to bless others, and to proclaim to others that "God is Love."
Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.
private aviation FBO ground transportation Westmont .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareWhether we like it or not current trends in engagement... Read More
In the last article, we concluded by saying that keeping... Read More
With today's economy, and the layoffs occurring as a result... Read More
Deik and Kim, remember that marriage is a COVENANT relationship.... Read More
'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.' This is... Read More
Often when you are looking for wedding vendors who suit... Read More
Perhaps the single most important thing that must be accomplished... Read More
Wedding dresses are literally the icing on the cake on... Read More
Arranged marriages have been a topic of interest for centuries.... Read More
Undoubtedly, the groom will want to choose a few good... Read More
You have your band (around your finger), now it's time... Read More
Bless the bride... and God help the video maker. True.... Read More
Your wedding party is a major factor in the success... Read More
The formula for marital harmony and success is not a... Read More
My parents gave me this advice about marriage. They have... Read More
You've been invited to the bridal shower ? what fun!... Read More
Tahiti honeymoon resorts are the best places you could think... Read More
Weddings are memorable events couples and their families want to... Read More
In the next six months, my... Read More
At one time or another, most of us have had... Read More
So you're planning your wedding and a thousand decisions must... Read More
Wedding photography is an evolving field that requires artistic talent,... Read More
What about this business of food for lovers? Is it... Read More
Once you've mortgaged the rest of your life for the... Read More
So your not one of those fabulous actresses or models... Read More
Lincoln Town Car rentals Addison ..The best and most valuable gifts are often not material... Read More
I recently watched a CNN programme which centred on "kidnapped... Read More
A little strategizing can go a long way when trying... Read More
There are two major events that you have to plan... Read More
Vital tips on making your own wedding invitations - by... Read More
Bridal accessories are as necessary to complete the bridal look,... Read More
As you reach 30 and beyond, you encounter a very... Read More
When people plan to marry, they expect to find in... Read More
Have you ever been lost?My favorite line about being lost... Read More
Selecting a wedding ring isn't as easy as it looks.... Read More
If you forget the ring, there is still a chance... Read More
Many spouses carry heavy suitcases filled with a collection of... Read More
"Las Vegas hotel weddings give you tons of options. You... Read More
When it comes to placing your new diamond in a... Read More
More and more, couples are choosing to write their own... Read More
OverviewI suppose a typical Christian wedding in the UK can... Read More
Just like anywhere else in America, there are a variety... Read More
Hiring music entertainment can arguably be the most important booking... Read More
Just the thought of all the expenses that come with... Read More
Your wedding vows are the words that will forever remain... Read More
The reception alone will bust your wedding budget if you're... Read More
Computer printed labels are a time-saver, but they make the... Read More
For many brides, the wedding ceremony starts long before they... Read More
"Las Vegas theme weddings are the envy of the world.... Read More
Does it seem like the phrases "ecology" and "wedding" could... Read More
Marriage & Wedding |