Seize the Moment – Day 1361
The Exclusivity of Marriage!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, December 8.
Pastors often quote the words of Jesus, after the pronouncement of husband and wife, “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6). Exclusivity is the practice of excluding or not admitting other things. Unique to our marital vows is the promise of exclusivity – I choose you! In saying yes to the one, you are saying no to every other person. In the beautiful words of the Shulammite about Solomon in Song of Solomon 6:3a, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” (cf. 2:16).
The husband-wife relationship is intended to be an exclusive embrace, which provides a firm foundation on which to build their future. Even children must be taught this, as I have instructed my children throughout their developmental years, “You can have anything that is mine, except the one thing I will not give.” My message has been consistent and clear to my children, marriage is a life-long, exclusive commitment to love your spouse, and nothing, including the beloved children, can be allowed to compromise the integrity of that commitment. The best gift you can give your children is a strong marriage.
This exclusive embrace leads to a profound mutuality because no other person is allowed to meet the needs of the other. While the husband and wife become one flesh on their wedding day, they must learn how to belong to one another, as Paul counsels in 1 Corinthians 7:3-4, “The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”
Seize the moment and trust God for His gift of love – “be subject to one another in the fear of Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.