“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:26-28 NKJ
If you asked a successful coach of a national sports team or a successful CEO of a major corporation what the key to being positioned for success is they would tell you preparation. They know the importance of being prepared to handle any obstacle that may arise. While not all obstacles can be identified initially, preparing to face obstacles gives a better opportunity to overcome them. Pretending obstacles don’t exist would be a foolish approach for either of them. The wise coach and CEO value their positions and treat it like a treasured possession and approach their role as leaders with great respect and honor.
When they form their teams of people they form them with the vision of having dominion over their competitors and with the mindset of victory as their motivator. They know that their initial and ongoing preparation work will give birth to the possibility of a victorious line of champions on their teams and on future teams. While they are not guaranteed success, they know that the better prepared they are for it, the more opportunity they have to achieve it. And if they encounter failure of any kind they don’t see it as an end to their career; instead it is a beacon of light that tells them they need to go in a new direction. These wise coaches and CEOs are the ones other people look to as their compass towards success.
Wise people who are looking to be joined in the union of marriage approach it in the same way. They value the union of marriage and their role as husband or wife as treasured possessions and they treat it with great respect and honor. They also understand what Paul talked about in 1 Peter 3: 7 when he said, “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”
Did you realize that God created man and woman to rule together and have dominion on the earth? Did you realize that as a husband and wife you become heirs together of the grace of life? And did you realize that when you are fruitful in marriage and multiply you pass down an inheritance to your children and to your children’s children? Most people who have a burning passion to get married prematurely do not take any of these things into consideration. They are intent on fulfilling their fleshly passion instead of seeing their position as a husband or wife as leadership role of authority that has been given an inheritance through Jesus Christ.
Two wise people whose lives are built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ individually and who come together as a team with a vision of dominion and a mindset of victory as their motivator; have a better opportunity for a successful marriage, than those who just rush into it unprepared. They harmonize together in vision, purpose, and path of life. They are synchronized together as one flesh and they surround themselves with others who have succeeded in marriage and look to them as a compass for success. They abandon their previous path of self-centeredness and join together as one, leaving father and mother and clinging to each other.
They center their marriage on the plan and purpose God has for them and work daily at fulfilling that plan through the power of the Holy Spirit working in them to teach them all things that pertain to life and godliness by His divine power. (2 Peter 1:3) They are prepared for the obstacles in marriage that will arise and learn how to deal with them before one ever enters their marriage. While there is no way to know all the obstacles initially, they know where to turn for help if they come upon one that they do not know how to deal with. Whether it is coming together in prayer, seeking the counsel of godly mentors, or another healthy source of help; they work together and face the obstacle as a unified team.
They value their position in the marriage and work daily to honor each other in love. They get their needs met IN Christ first and then know how to voice their physical or emotional needs to their spouse. They learn how to meet the needs of their spouse and if they lack wisdom in that area they seek godly advice on how to do it. When they multiply their family they incorporate what they have learned into training their children in the way they should go so that when they are old they will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6) All of these things are why it is so important to wait for and choose a healthy mate. Premature birth of any marriage always leads to unnecessary complications. Are you beginning to see the importance of waiting and being prepared? In tomorrow’s devotion we will go even deeper into the understanding of waiting for and choosing a healthy mate.
The prayer for today is that the Holy Spirit will grant you wisdom and understanding of your role as a future marriage partner so you begin to value and honor it with high esteem. Pray that you will begin to understand what it means to be an heir of the grace of life with your future spouse and what it means for the two of you to be unified as one flesh to fulfill the plan and purpose God has designed for your marriage. Pray for wisdom in understanding the inheritance that has been given to you IN Christ Jesus and what it means to pass down the inheritance to your future children and children’s children.
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