GOD'S GIFT TO US:
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
God said after he created man, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). This statement is the foundation for marriage. It reflects the purpose of marriage which is not to go through life alone, and to have a partner to help you. Genesis 1:28 says, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number.’ ” Children are a blessing from God, and grandchildren “are a crown for the aged” (Proverbs 17:6). Marriage and families are God's design and plan to provide companionship, love, and support throughout the lives of humans. God is love, and he created us in his image with the need to be loved and to love. He fulfills that need in his design for marriage and families.
This family foundation is to be protected, honored, and lasting. That is why God in his Word gives us many specific instructions and guidelines regarding how to do this. For instance, he tells us plainly that sex outside of marriage is sinful and wrong. Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure.” The “one flesh” concept God mentions in Genesis 2:24 concerning marriage goes far beyond sexual relations. God intends for husbands and wives to be united until death. Their relationship is designed to be the closest and deepest human bond that exists. But, for that to become a reality, we must follow God's guidelines. He tells husbands and wives to respect one another. He tells husbands to love their wives and be considerate and not harsh with them. Wives are told to submit to and respect their husbands. Fathers should not embitter their children, and parents are instructed to discipline their children and bring them up to know and love God. Also, children are told to obey their parents. The scriptures regarding marriage and families are too numerous to list here.
I can tell you from personal experience and life observations, that if we reject God's guidelines, our marriages and families will suffer. God is a God of love, and he desires to bless us with love, companionship, joy, and security throughout our lifetime in family relationships that he designed. We must follow his pattern to receive these blessings.
— Cynthia Clayton
Picture credits:
Patty Gibson