The Ministry of MarriageSample

WHAT IS OUR LEGACY?

As we conclude our time together, I want to commend you both for making it to the final day of this devotion. Marriage is a blessing and a gift from God but it’s not easy and is definitely not for the weak. On this last day, I want to ask you something that I really need you to dig deep and think about. When you are dead and gone and others talk about you, what do you want them to say? Furthermore, what legacy would you like to leave for those coming after you? These are two very serious questions that require an introspective look into who you really are, what you are made of and what you are doing to have a purposeful and meaningful marriage. I remember Carlton Pearson, one of my mentors and spiritual advisors saying, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” He would also say, “It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice.” Have you considered the impact your marriage is having on the lives of others in your sphere of influence?

If you are married with children, what are you modelling for your kids and grandkids? Have you created an environment in your home for the Holy Spirit to operate freely? Is your home a safe haven for your children to feel loved and protected? Do you model unconditional love, forgiveness and grace toward each other or have you created an atmosphere of drama, confusion and chaos? Is there structure and order in your home or is there carelessness, compromise and confusion? These are important things to consider because the standard you set for your children in your marriage and household will be the blueprint they use when they meet their spouse and start a family.

Marriages everywhere are under attack and there seems to be a diabolical assignment of the devil to destroy the sanctity of marriage and the foundation of the family unit. We see it all around us and if we as believers don’t take a stand for truth and righteousness and become beacons of hope, the enemy will succeed.

Proverbs 13: 22 says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” I believe every lesson and every blessing you have received throughout your marriage is a stepping stone for your children and the generations to come. That’s why it is important to invest in the lives of others and willingly share with your children all God has brought you from over the years; all your wins, losses, miracles, and even your past struggles. Those are the days that made these days of bliss you’re walking in today that much sweeter. I challenge you to create a marriage that not only pleases God but also inspires the next generation to glean from. Thank you for spending the past eight days with me. My prayer is that God will continue to use you and your spouse to be a blessing to others. Until we meet again, peace and blessings.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have blessed us to be a blessing to others and we count it a privilege to be a witness to others of Your love and faithfulness throughout our marriage. As we continue to build together, help us pour into others the same way other couples that You placed in our lives have poured into us. Let the work we do be pleasing to You and may it inspire the next generation to grow closer to You. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.