By Evang. Joachim P. Erameh
Putting God first in your marriage is very important. It is essential to having a successful marriage. It is like building your house on a rock, so that when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon the house; it will not fall because it is built on a solid rock (See Matthew 7:24-25).
Many marriages today are in shambles because some couples have failed to put God first. Some couples that once put God first in their marriages have since replaced Him with material things. In some Christian homes, the playing of video games and watching of television have taken the place of family devotion. Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).
Any marriage where God is not first, the devil will be at the helm of affairs. Such a marriage will be characterized by unfaithfulness, distrust, lies, deceit, selfishness, quarrel, anger, etc. In such a marriage, husband and wife do things separately without the fear of God. Marriage is not a bed of roses: it is sometimes characterized by problems and frustrations. Going into marriage is venturing into an obscure world; hence, every couple needs God to help and guide them in their marital journey. According to Billy Graham, his wife Ruth has often said, “that a good marriage actually takes three people: the husband, the wife, and God.”
Human effort is not enough to achieve a successful marriage. God must be in a marriage to make it work and succeed to the end. The couples that put God first in their marriages understand the following:
That marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman (See Matthew 19:4-6).
That there is no room for divorce and remarriage in Christianity. See the following scriptural references: Malachi 2:16, Matthew 19:3-8; 1 Corinthians 7:10-11; and Mark 10:11-12.
That husband and wife are expected to cherish, respect, and love each other (See Ephesians 5:25; Titus 2:4; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Peter 3:1-2).
That husband and wife are expected to live their marital life in the fear of God and not cheat or lie to each other (See Proverbs 9:10-12, 6:32; Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-28).
That husband and wife are expected to forgive each other whenever the need arises (See Matthew 6:14-15; Colossians 3:13).
That the role of the husband is to provide for the needs of his family (See 1 Timothy 5:8).
That the role of the wife is to assist her husband, bear children, and take care of the home (See Genesis 2:18; 1 Timothy 5:14).
That as Christian parents, they are expected to bring up their children in the nurture and fear of God (See Proverbs 22:6; Genesis 18:19).
Putting God first in your marriage is great wisdom. In Exodus 20:3, God says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Putting anything first before God is having other gods before Him. Do not wait until you begin to have problems before thinking of inviting God into your marriage.
The couples that put God first make the Lord Jesus Christ the centre and foundation of their marriages. They know the voice of the Master and follow Him, but the voice of the stranger they will not follow (See John 10:4-5).
Putting God first in your marriage will make you and your partner more committed to each other. Whenever the storms of life begin to rage, the couple that puts God first in their marriage will find an anchor in Him.
A typical Christian home is one in which God is first and where prayer starts and ends the day. It is a home where the truth is told and lies are denounced; where love is the motivating spirit behind every action; and where husband and wife and their children do things in the fear of God. The family that puts God first dines, sings, prays, and studies the word of God together on a daily basis. The home where Jesus is the head is a happy home where husband and wife and their children live joyfully together.
Putting God first is seeking Him first; and everything you need to make your marriage successful, such as love, joy, children, protection, provision, etc., will be added unto you (See Matthew 6:33). If you are yet to put God first in your marriage, make up your mind to do so today. For God to be in your marriage, you must repent of every known sin in your life and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Saviour.
Click the link below to buy the ebook: Pathway to a Successful Marriage, By Evang. Joachim P. Erameh