The Purpose of Marriage by Pastor E.A Adeboye
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL
DATE: WEDNESDAY JULY 17TH 2024
THEME: THE PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE
MEMORISE: And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Genesis 2:18
READ: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
MESSAGE
Our memory verse tells us clearly that marriage was established primarily for companionship. God made a help meet for Adam, not a competitor. Any marriage where the husband and wife compete against each other will not stand because Mark 3:25 says that a house divided against itself shall not stand.
Husband, your wife is a gift from God to help you achieve His purpose for your life. You must create the environment that encourages her to help you rather than compete with you. If not for my wife’s help and the grace of God, I would not have achieved all l have achieved in ministry today. Ask God to give you the wisdom to know what to do to get your spouse to help you.
l always encourage and give room for my wife to help me. I don’t hide things from her, rather, I hand some things over to her to handle. After major programmes like our annual conventions, I buy her gifts to say, “Thank you for your support.” This encourages her to help me more in subsequent programmes.
Wives, stop trying to compete with your husbands. Don’t follow the recent worldly trend that is seeking to overturn the roles of husbands and wives in marriages. Don’t turn your marriage into a competition where there is a winner and a loser. One person’s win is a win for both of you. The more impact your spouse makes, the prouder you should be. In Proverbs 31:23, the Bible says that a good wife makes her husband proud. Husband, if your wife is making an impact in places of authority, you should hold your head up high; it does not reduce you as a man; it enhances you. It shows that you know how to nurture talent well, and things flourish in your hands.
Let all involved parties play their part in ensuring a successful home. If every footballer on a field tries to be the striker so that they can boast of the number of goals they score, who will be the goalkeeper and ensure that the opponent doesn’t score against them? The fact that you are a defender does not make you any less valuable than the striker. Play your part, and you will both enjoy the rewards of success. Don’t leave your duty post to compete with your teammate and end up losing in life entirely. Handle your role, support your spouse, and your entire family will win at the end of the day.
KEY POINT
It is better to be a defender in a winning team than to be a star player in a losing team.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 12-14
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
1. When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.
3. But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.
4. Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we’ll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.
