5 Marriage Lies to Defeat With Biblical TruthSample

#4: My kids come first.

I will admit I have a hard time keeping first things first in this area. I struggle with boundaries when it comes to prioritizing my kids' wants and needs and my husband’s. Our God is a God of order though, and He knows what’s best for us: God, spouse, and children.

With the creation of the marriage relationship in Genesis 2, God sets the marriage relationship apart from other relationships when Scripture says a husband and wife will leave mother and father and cleave to one another; meaning to “hold fast,” and “stick close to.” This shows us that the parent/child relationship is not a “cleaving” relationship, but marriage is. In contrast, Psalm 137 uses the analogy that children are like “arrows in the hand of a warrior.” Arrows are not meant to remain in the quiver forever, but to be sent forth at the appropriate time.

Sure, in their younger years your time and energy will be what your children depend on, but even then, maintaining a healthy marriage mindset will set the tone for the seasons to follow. Your spouse should come first. That means they don’t get the leftovers every day. Your spouse should be valued, which means your budget should reflect time invested not just in your kids but in your marriage. Your spouse should be honored. That means that you are recognizing their position in your household and family and respecting that position. You don’t undermine them when they aren’t around and you don’t cut them down in front of your children.

Challenge:

Take a look at your family dynamic. Are you showing your children that they come first in the way that you prioritize your time and energy? Ask your spouse where they feel like they line up on the list. If things are out of order, make the shift.

Prayer:

God, I’m so thankful that you are a God of order and that you know what’s best for us even if we don’t see it. I thank you for the blessing of children, and I pray today that we would represent your order well in the way we live out our marriage. My prayer is that we will be faithful to serve one another regardless of the busyness and fatigue we often feel.