In today’s world, one of the major problems our society encounters, is the issue of marital crises. Even though marriage was instituted for the pursuit of God given purpose, what is happening in today’s world is something else. The rate of divorce, violence and infidelity are increasing.
According to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the divorce statistics in Nigeria shows that 0.2% of men and 0.3% of women decide to end their marriage. The 15 major causes of divorce in Nigeria are: lack of sexual intimacy, lack of communication, abuse, lack of intimacy, unfaithfulness in marriage, high expectation, lack of trust, interference from third party, money matters, age differences, childlessness and infidelity, incompatibility, lack of proper courtship, lack of exposure and intellectual development.
The family is the basic unit of our society which means that whatever happens to the family will definitely affect our society. If we must have a perfect society, then we must work on the family institution.
First of all, Marriage is of DIVINE ORIGIN not humanly devised expedient. Marriage is an ordained institution. Marriage is for COMPANIONSHIP. It is more than MATING. Marriage is showing God’s kind of love (Eph. 5:25), not only when you are having any sexual feeling for your partner.
Sex destroys true companionship; it destroys the intimacy of a constant relationship. There cannot be no intimacy, companionship between two persons when sex is the major consideration. People who enter marriage with the belief that marriage is simply legitimized by sex, have the wrong idea on biblical marriage.
The obligation of marriage is pleasing God and pleasing your mate. So, the question you are to be asking yourself every day, is, HOW CAN I PLEASE GOD AND MY MATE and not HOW CAN I PLEASE MYSELF. When you please God, you will automatically be able to please your mate. When you are able to please your mate, then you will be able to please yourself. So it is GOD + MATE= MYSELF.
Marriage seeks intimacy with others in group dynamics, which enhances human potential, but it is found only within the covenant of companionship, where there is commitment for life and willingness to do God’s will.
Marriage is dedication and not all about feelings; it is a commitment to become a new or better person. The covenant in marriage is a life commitment.
Like I said earlier, marriage is showing God’s kind of love. Christ came to earth and died for us; He loves the church’ unconditionally, in spite of the church’ imperfection, He loves the church. And we all know that the church is not perfect, yet he loves us. That’s how God ordained marriage. Husbands, you are to love your wives unconditionally and wives you are to submit to your husbands.
The truth is that, there can never be submission without love and there can never be genuine love without submission. So, what? We are into this love and submission together.
