Sacred Marriage

This weekend Becky took a trip out to Memphis to visit her family, and Sara came down to visit from DC, bringing along a friend. We hit the beach and did some camping, i.e., I got absolutely no work done. It was really nice to spend some time with my sister (although I can't wait to see my wife!).

What I did have time to do was read about half of Gary Thomas’ Sacred Marriage. Becky had read it recently and recommended I also read it. So far I have to say it’s a really great book for someone who is considering marriage or has been married for some time. Instead of looking at marriage as a “what can I get out of it?” point-of-view, Thomas tells his readers that marriage is an opportunity to improve who we are and love the way God loves us. Rather than make us happy, marriage is designed by God to make us more holy.

Here are a couple of passages I underlined this weekend:

Everything I am to say and do in my life is to be supportive of this gospel ministry of reconciliation, and that commitment begins by displaying reconciliation in my personal relationships, especially in my marriage.

Christians can command attention simply by staying married.

We can never love somebody “too much.” Our problem is that typically we love God too little.

As Betsy and Gary Riucci point out, “Honor isn’t passive; it’s active. We honor our wives by demonstrating our esteem and respect: complimenting them in public, affirming their gifts, abilities, and accomplishments; and declaring our appreciation for all they do. Honor not expressed is not honor.”

It is guaranteed that your spouse will sin against you, disappoint you, and have physical limitations that will frustrate and sadden you… This is a fallen world… You will never find a spouse who is not affected in some way by the reality of the fall.

I wouldn’t be surprised if many marriages end in divorce largely because one or both partners are running from their own revealed weaknesses as much as they are running from something they can’t tolerate in their spouse.

I seriously recommend this book to men and women who want to see more clearly what their marriage is all about. If we took these lessons to heart, it would make a huge difference in the lives of many.