Listening to What God Says about Marriage Rather Than the World - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - April 18
Listening to What God Says about Marriage Rather Than the World
By Vivian Bricker
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13).
The world is always trying to get our attention and our allegiance. There are many things that the world says are okay when it comes to marriage and relationships, but we have to ask ourselves, “Is it biblical?” Upon reflecting on the practices of the world in combination with what the Bible says, we quickly find that the world does not have our best interests in mind. The world says it's okay to have many sexual partners, to engage in premarital sex, and to leave your spouse for any and every reason.
All of these “bonuses” according to the world are not true and they are rooted out of convenience. Far too many people don't want to commit to a spouse and this leads them into many immoral relationships. They want connection, but instead they begin to indulge into the sinful nature. Even though the world says this is normal or even healthy, this is not true.
The Bible tells us, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Sexual sins are endorsed by the world, yet we must not endorse them as believers. The world is under the control of the devil, therefore, we must not listen to what it says (2 Corinthians 4:4). Listening to the world rather than God will only end in tears, pain, and heartache.
You may be thinking, “I’m married, I can’t possibly fall into sexual sin now.” While this might be what most people think, it is still possible to struggle with sexual sin even after being married. You might lust after someone else or you might want to try things within your marriage that are not biblical. For this reason, married couples also need to stay alert to the temptations of the world.
By turning away from what the world says and listening to God, we will truly be walking in obedience to Him. The world tells us that the Bible is full of rules and restrictions; however, everything written in the Bible is to help us. God loves us and wants the best for us, which is why He has given us instructions on how to live a holy life in the Bible. This isn’t to restrict us, but rather to give us freedom.
Within your marriage, you have to choose to honor God each day. This means listening to what God says in His Word rather than the secular teachings of the day. The world only wants to cause you and your spouse problems. Since the devil is in control of the world, it is not surprising that he tries to destroy what God has brought together. Don’t give him this satisfaction and choose to listen, follow, and obey God’s Word instead.
Our Bible verse today directly talks about His Word. Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” As the writer of Hebrews says, the Bible is living and active.
This means that everything written in the Bible has the power to change our lives. The Bible doesn’t contain meaningless words; rather, it is the true Word of God. Furthermore, it breaks open through our soul and spirit and can judge the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. Everything in the world will be laid bare before God. We will all have to give an account to God for everything that we have done.
With this in mind, we need to be wise in how we live. Listening to God and obeying His living and active Word will bring about the best course for our lives. The more we say “no” to the world and to the devil, the stronger our faith will become. Lean on God, trust your marriage in His hands, and faithfully continue to follow Him. Whenever you are facing temptations of any kind, bring them to God and ask for His help.
Prayer:
“Dear God, my spouse and I want to start to listen to what You say rather than the world. The world tries to tell us that many immoral behaviors are ‘okay’ or ‘permissible.’ This is not true and I’m beginning to understand Your will. Guide, instruct, and help us, God. We are turning to You and listening to You from now on. In Your Son’s Name, I pray, Amen.”
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Tony Lomas
Related Resource: Engaging with God in a Technology-Saturated World
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