I have often shared the following truth with mothers over the years. I believe that it is not enough to love our children; we must also love motherhood. Of course, all mothers love their children, but not every mother loves motherhood. Perhaps the majority don’t. Especially in our humanistic society young women have been brainwashed negatively about the career of motherhood and have been programmed instead for careers outside of the home.
However, it is not until we get the revelation that motherhood is the most powerful career in the nation and the career for which God has created us (physically and innately) and we embrace it with all our hearts that we will live in the joy of it—and walk in the fullness of it.
Lately I have been thinking that this same principle applies to marriage. Yes, we may love our husband, but if we don’t love marriage itself, we will not enjoy the fulness of marriage as God intends. I believe it is important to embrace and love marriage as God as designed it.
Many couples marry because they are in love, but they have no intention of living marriage according to God’s design. They believe they know best. Is this way so many marriages are falling apart today, even in the Christian church.
God is the One who designed marriage and therefore He know the way it works. Both husband and wife and equal in creation but created with different and very unique roles which enhance and bless the union. He designed the husband to be the provider, protector, and leader of the home. We see this even in creation when God created the male first. He did not even create the woman until there was a home ready for her and God had also given Adam a job (Genesis 2:7. He created the wife with a very special, physical body and a nurturing instinct, in the likeness of God, enabling her to bring forth children and to nurture and nourish them.
Of course, there is so much more in God’s word, plus the glorious revelation that our marriage relationship is to reveal the picture of Christ and His church. However, my main point today is that it’s not enough to just love your husband. To walk in the fullness and glory of married life, you must also love marriage. Meditate on this more. You’ll be amazed what a difference this will make.
Be blessed,
Nancy Campbell
Painting by James Coates