MARRIAGE IS GOD'S IDEA NOT OURS

Someone once asked which law governs the different types of marriages that we have. I fumbled in my answer because I approached the question from a standpoint different from what the bible says. I realized this much later after the person who asked had left. I was too liberal in my answer. Now, whether customary, registry or marriage conducted in church, as long as there's proper consent between the two families, God recognizes such marriage and He expect such marriage to run on His terms not ours. Marriage is God's idea regardless of the type of marriage. One of the greatest institutions in the world today is marriage. If I say it is the greatest institution, I will not be wrong. Marriage has drawn the attention of all within and outside the church. As a preacher, i noticed that I get more responses when i preach on marriage than other subjects of the bible. Though I still see it as a form of misplaced priority spiritually for people to focus on marriage only instead of developing a total life that will in turn affect your marriage positively. What we need most either single/ married is a continuous thorough Christian discipleship experience that will in turn shape every aspect of our lives- marriage inclusive.

Most people enter into marriage with ideas that are alien to the bible because they don't know who instituted marriage and why He instituted it. Marriage was not instituted by your village chiefs nor your government. Marriage is a sacred and divine institution founded by God so that couples can fulfill His purposes here on earth. The origin and originator of a thing is important If we are to have a good grasp of that thing. The founder of every institution has a vision and purpose. If we must succeed in marriage, there's a need to see marriage from God's perspective or else we'll fail. Most marriages are troubled and failing because there's a deviation from the laid down pattern of love, submission and understanding. Some are running their marriages with a customary pattern while others are using a legal/ modern template instead of using a biblical template. As long as our generation tries to run marriage without following the pattern of the originator, most marriages will hit the rocks.*

The best marriage manual still remains the bible. That's where we can find God's pattern for a successful marriage. Today, most people want to hear messages like: ' Seven Keys To Marital Bliss'. They want quick fixes but not the bible. On the pages of the scriptures, you'll see God's pattern for marriage. When I wanted to marry, I read alot about marriage and the strange woman from the book of Proverbs. I'm yet to see a book on marriage, fidelity, infidelity, that is explicit like the book of Proverbs. To learn about marriage, social media is not always the right medium of learning. Alot of anti biblical ideas are being peddled on several social media platforms. You'll meet some wannabe counselors on social media who may counsel that you divorce your spouse while they're keeping theirs yet the same challenge exist in their marriages but they're managing it. That is not to say you'll not find helpful tips on social media sometimes through godly counselors. However, the first place to turn for learning is the scriptures. It is our manual for living. Don't run your marriage according to the dictates of the society, public opinion or your culture, search the manual- the bible.