Marriage

Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.

Saint Augustine 

What is marriage?   

You can be married to someone, but have marriage misrepresented to you.  Humans cannot change the meaning of the word marriage. They can represent (or misrepresent) it. The meaning of the word marriage does not define a relationship in which individuals can come and go as they please. It is meant to represent to humans the relationship between humans and God. It is meant to signify a relationship in which God values you more than Himself, and in turn you value God more than yourself.  . Any action by either side that misrepresents this level of value misrepresents what marriage is. 

Leviticus 20:26 You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

 

Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.

Isaiah 54:6 The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit— a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God.

Jeremiah 3:20 “Return, faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion.

Hosea 2:16 “In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’

Hosea 2:20 I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.

1 Corinthians 7:35  I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

 Does God organize who you are to marry (if you are to marry) or is that you?  I have at times thought I should try to arrange who I marry. 

What is the issue with organizing it yourself? 

According to God (Proverbs 18:22) He who finds a wife (or husband) finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (Psalm 84:11) 

  

   If you don't have a wife, you are better to trust God for one than trust yourself Psalm 16:2: I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." When you have married someone, marriage is never meant to be misrepresented 

Proverbs 20:6 Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?

Matthew 19:6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

If you are married to someone I believe God wants to help you represent marriage. He wants to help you know how much He wants you. I believe when you know how much He wants you, you in turn will be able to represent marriage to a greater extent .   You represent marriage correctly when you want nothing more than you want God and in turn nothing more than who you are married too, just as God in his heart wants nothing more  than you. 

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

If you have misrepresented marriage, God wants to help you. He wants you to turn back to wanting nothing more than you want God and in turn who you are married to to the same extent that God wants nothing more than you. 

Joel 2:13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

Luke 17:4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”