Tuesday, August 19, 2014

According to This Momentary Marriage by John Piper, marriage is not mainly about prospering economically e.g. having joint income, joint mortgage loan etc; it is mainly about displaying the covenant-keeping love between Christ and His church. Knowing Christ is more important than making a living. Treasuring Christ is more important than bearing children. However, being pregnant and conceive a child is God's gift to us to all mankind as God has spoken in Genesis 1:28 "...Be fruitful and multiply.. Being united to Christ by faith is a greater source of marital success than per-fect sex and double-income prosperity.

If we make secondary things primary, they cease to be secondary and become idolatrous. They have their place. This is why we often lose focus where it has hindered us in putting God first.

So it is with marriage. It is a momentary gift. It may last a lifetime, or it may be snatched away on the honeymoon. Either way, it is short. If we make secondary things primary, we will be embittered at the sorrows we must face. But if we set our face to make of marriage mainly what Good designed it to be, no sorrows and no calamities can stand in our way. Everyone of them will be, not an obstacles to success, but a way to succeed. The beauty of the covenant-keeping love between Christ and His church shines brightest when nothing but Christ can sustain it.  

I truly agree with what the author said, on top of that, I would like share an illustration or an analogy whereby if both parties walk to be closer with God, then both of them will automatically begin to grow closer to one another and this would be a fulfilling and meaningful one. Remember there were couple of verses taken from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 saying that "two are better than one, because they have good return for their work. If one falls down, the other can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help him/her up. Also if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken". The three strands here meaning being two people and God. Hence if God is at the focal point of your relationship, and you and the other are both moving toward God, consequently both will grow much closer to each other. Isn't it lovely?