God Loves Odd Couples

Our culture constantly promotes the idea of finding your soul mate. That perfect person who is compatible with you on twenty-three different levels (or more depending on which dating service you use). You both love long walks on the beach, French poetry, obscure indie documentaries, art museums, and the BeeGees. She is the Yin to your Yang. She is the moon to your sun. She completes you on every level. You share a deep, mystical, soul-mate-ish connection. You look deep into each other’s eyes and instantly know what the other is thinking. You complete each other’s sentences. You have no problems because you both compliment each other perfectly.

Now, I’m not dismissing the idea of finding a spouse who is compatible with you at least on some level. If your idea of a perfect life is raising livestock in Wyoming and she wants to live in Paris, you could have a problem. Finding a spouse with common interests is common sense....

But the reality is, God also loves odd couples.

He loves couples that have significant differences in communication style. He loves couples that have wildly different hobbies and interests. He loves couples where the husband loves hunting and the wife is a vegetarian. He loves couples where the wife comes from Venus and the husband comes from an unknown planet in a distant galaxy.

Why does God love odd couple marriages? Because the power of the gospel is put on full display in odd couple marriages.

When a wife goes antique hunting with her husband because she wants to serve and bless him it is proof that Jesus is at work in her. When a husband gives up watching his favorite baseball team to spend time talking to his wife it is proof that the living Savior is moving and motivating him. When a husband and wife slowly and patiently work through their communication differences without becoming angry at each other it is proof that the reconciling power of the gospel is at work in their marriage. When a husband and wife lay down their personal preferences in service to each other it is a powerful demonstration of the Holy Spirit.

Perfect marriages exist only in Nicholas Sparks novels. Every marriage has challenges, hurdles, and seeming impasses. But God loves odd couple marriages. It’s in these marriages that the saving, transforming, reconciling power can be powerfully displayed.

If you are in an odd couple marriage, don’t despair. God is for you, Jesus is in you, and the Holy Spirit is interceding for you. Jesus can give you power to serve and sacrifice. The Holy Spirit can transform your marriage into a piece of divine art. You only need to ask.

Stephen Altrogge serves as a pastor at Sovereign Grace Church. Find out more at The Blazing Center.