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The Masterpiece of Marriage
Great accomplishments don’t just happen. They take time and planning.
An architectural masterpiece begins with a blueprint. It only graces the skyline after years of expert planning and construction that follows the plan meticulously.
A living organism may seem to appear spontaneously. But it took form from extremely complex DNA that determines every detail of its life.
A high-performance car, designed by the best engineers, requires finely tuned settings and high-quality gas and oil to run the way it should.
Everything good and beautiful is good and beautiful by design.
Marriage is a good and beautiful institution.
It was created by the hand of a Master Designer. When we live it out according to His design, marriage can be wonderfully fulfilling. When we lose sight of its design, we miss out on the joy we were meant to have.
That doesn’t mean following the instruction manual guarantees an easy, problem-free relationship. There’s no such thing! Marriage always takes work, sacrifice, and a lot of grace.
God’s instructions do spell out His purposes. They equip us to align with them. He gives us what we need not only to make marriage work but to enjoy its blessings.
Husbands and wives have distinctive but overlapping and mutually supportive roles. They are described in Ephesians 5:21-33, one of the clearest pictures in Scripture of marriage.
Each role requires that you:
- Prioritize the other person’s needs.
- Honor the other’s uniqueness.
- Express sacrificial, unconditional love.
These instructions come straight from a heart of love. The Creator of marriage wants us to enjoy meaningful, enriching relationships.
Refuse to get so caught up in the daily details of marriage that you miss its ultimate meaning. And never lose sight of the divine blueprint behind it. Marriage is given from a heart of love to hearts designed to love as he does.
When we align ourselves with His plan for marriage, we begin to experience the spiritual, emotional, and physical oneness we are designed to enjoy.
Scripture
About this Plan
God wants you and your spouse to have a wonderfully fulfilling marriage—to be best friends, passionate lovers, and spiritual soulmates. Do you have doubts that such a marriage is possible? God assures us it is! It's His design! In this five-day reading plan, Chip Ingram looks at a passage from Ephesians 5 and shares how couples can find the fulfillment we all long for.
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We would like to thank Living on the Edge for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/marriage-that-works-god-s-way-of-becoming-spiritual-soul-mates-best-friends-and-passionate-lovers-9780801074554
