Monday, December 26, 2011

Rating Your Marriage


If you were asked to rate your marriage between 1 {really bad} to 10 {really good},  what would yours rate?  I asked a young couple this question recently.  They have only been married a year.  They said 4 1/2 to 5...She then said she struggles with bitterness.

I asked Jon, my son-in-law, who has been married almost a year the same question and he said 10, but then quickly changed it to 11 and told me that marriage is awesome.

The first couple came from divorced families and are struggling financially.  She is having to work full-time.  They have quite a bit to work through from their past.  They were never taught or modeled what a good, healthy marriage looks like.

Alyssa and Jon came from stable families and were raised in the church.  They are financially stable and Alyssa only works part-time.  They didn't have a lot of drama and past sins in their lives that they have to work on today.  They were taught and modeled good marriages.

This is why I think the Bible states that the purpose of marriage is to produce godly offspring.  It makes life a lot easier if you are trained in the ways of God from a very early age.  You guard your children from a lot of sin and the consequences of sin. 

Godly parents teach their children the ways of God and train them to walk in those ways.  Thankfully, we serve a God that makes all things new.

I have a lot of hope for the young couple we have mentored.  Sure, they give their marriage a low score now, but they are very teachable.  They want to do marriage God's way.  It may be a lot more work for them than Alyssa and Jon because they didn't have the firm foundation that Alyssa and Jon had growing up, but they know the many promises of God.

They want their marriage to work.  They want to grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God. They want a strong, healthy marriage.  They seek our guidance and help.

What would you rate your marriage?  If your number is low, what can YOU do to make it better, since you are the only one you can change?  If it is high, praise the Lord and keep on loving that husband!

Has not [the LORD] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. 
Malachi 2:15

Happy 31st Anniversary to an incredible husband!  I love him.  Our marriage is finally a 10...It took a long time to get there, too long, but it sure is good to say we have achieved it.  Marriage is definitely a gift from the loving hands of our Father.