Til Death Do Us Part

*Disclaimer*
I am writing this blog from a man's perspective (since I'm a man that is the only perspective I can use). Just thought you'd like to know that....

It seems that in the last year, I have seen more marriages on the brink of destruction than I can ever remember. And most of those marriages are what you would deem "Christian marriages". That is something that always makes me scratch my head and go, "Huh?" I mean, as Christians we have been born again, our spirits are made alive unto God. He gives us His Holy Spirit to indwell us and on top of that gives us His Word that shows us how to live, and yet Christians are divorcing at a rate almost equal to the world.

George Barna, of The Barna Group directed a study and noted that Americans have grown comfortable with divorce as a natural part of life.

"There no longer seems to be much of a stigma attached to divorce; it is now seen as an unavoidable rite of passage," the researcher indicated. "Interviews with young adults suggest that they want their initial marriage to last, but are not particularly optimistic about that possibility. There is also evidence that many young people are moving toward embracing the idea of serial marriage, in which a person gets married two or three times, seeking a different partner for each phase of their adult life."

According to enrichment journal on the divorce rate in America: The divorce rate in America for first marriage is 41%. The divorce rate in America for second marriage is 60%. The divorce rate in America for third marriage is 73%. So for those who as Barna puts it, are embracing the idea of "serial marriage", this does not look promising for them.

The main problem that I have seen in people who re-marry over and over again is that they bring the same baggage with them. Most of the time they assume that it was their spouse that was the problem, so when they do re-marry they don't make any changes to their own lives, and after a while the same pattern of problems emerge again.

I know that I am generalizing here, but I think I'm more dead on than many would like to admit, but usually the main problem that I see with couples divorcing is for selfish reasons. Those that I know who have divorced, or are at least having marital trouble have to do with the husband not fulfilling his role as lined out by God in Ephesians 5:25 - 29:

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.

The main reason I think that marriages fail, are because men are not doing this; loving their wives like Christ loved the church and "GAVE HIMSELF" for her. In the marriages that I personally know of that are in trouble or have failed, the men have been selfish. For whatever reason, they have placed their needs above those of their wives. And before you say, "Yeah, but maybe their wives were being horrible." I would tell you that is not true, they have very devoted wives who almost wait on their husbands hand and foot.

I have had my own share of ups and downs in my marriage to Cheryl, but I recall making a committment to her over twenty-two years ago. One which brings security to her; that I would love her til death parted us, and I plan on honoring that committment. And this is where it really gets down to it, making a committment and honoring it. Will you do what you said in the beginning of your marriage, or won't you? Are you a man of your word, or aren't you?

Marriage is hard, but if you, as a man, will do what the Lord has laid out for us in the Bible, you will receive huge rewards in your married life. Remember the principle of the Kingdom, whatever you sow you will reap. If you want a good marriage men, then give yourself to see your wife's needs are met, believing God and He will give you such a great harvest you will be amazed!

Get 'em up men, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom today!