30 Jun July 16 – Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

HONOR GOD BY HONORING MARRIAGE

Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”

The state of marriage in the United States and the world is not good.  According to the U.S. census bureau, among those ages 18-24, cohabitation is now more prevalent than living with a spouse: 9 percent live with an unmarried partner in 2018, compared to 7 percent who live with a spouse.  According to a 2018 Pew survey, 7% of all couples living together were not married.  That was a rise of 4% in less than ten years.

The question that Christians must ask is, has God changed the sixth Commandment?  Of course, the answer is no.  Genesis 2:24-25 says, “A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”  God created women and men as sexual creatures.  His goal was twofold:  1) through their sexual life together as husband and wife they would share their love for each other; and, 2) through their sexual union children would be conceived and born.  Jesus taught, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:6)  God’s intent is that marriage is a life-long union between a woman and a man, not a temporary living arrangement.

A Christian marriage, St. Paul writes in Ephesians 5, reflects Christ and His Church.  As Christ forgives the sins of His Church so a Christian wife and husband confess their sins to God and one another and seek the forgiveness of their heavenly Father and each other.  They kneel together at the communion rail to receive Jesus’ forgiveness through His Word and Sacrament.  Thus, the grace of God in Christ is the unshakeable foundation upon which their marriage is founded.  “On Christ, the solid rock they stand.  All other ground is sinking sand.” (LSB 575)

God’s design of marriage is that it is a love-giving relationship between a woman and a man.  In this relationship it is His intent for life to be created and the responsibility for those lives to be mutually supported by wife and husband.  It creates a faithful companionship until death dissolves the marital relationship.  As Jesus loved the Church, husbands and wives are to love one another.

Prayer:  Yahweh, fill me with faith in You and Your word to honor your creation of marriage, to be faithful in my own marriage or be content in my single state living in accord with Your will and to Your glory and honor.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

A Prayer for all husbands and wives

Gracious Savior, grant Your blessing To this husband and this wife,

That in peace they live together In Your love throughout their life.

Christ, defend them from the tempter And from all that would destroy

You have laid here, And its threshold paved with joy.

Lord, if You are not the builder, Then the house is built in vain,

For a home without Your presence Shall without true love remain.

Yet when You within a marriage Come and dwell with grace divine,

There You fill the empty vessels, Changing water into wine.

Cana’s guest, this union hallow; Tenderly embrace this pair.

Clothe this couple with the garments They will daily need to wear;

Patience, kindness, and compassion, Gentleness, humility;

Robe them, Lord, with love to bind them In it perfect unity.

Make their love a living picture Showing how You loved Your bride;

When You gave Yourself to cleanse her, When for her You bled and died.

Jesus, You have made her holy, Pure and fair her radiant train;

To Yourself, Your Church presenting, Without wrinkle, spot, or stain.

Father, You created Adam, Crafted Eve, and made them one;

Jesus, from their sin You saved us, As God’s true incarnate Son;

Holy Spirit, You forgive us; From our sins we are released.

Bring us, Lord, at last to heaven, To the endless wedding feast.

(LSB 860)