“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’” Genesis 2:18
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31a
“This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:32-33
Last weekend I had the honor of officiating a wedding, and this weekend I have the privilege of attending one. God is also currently allowing me to lead an engaged couple through premarital counseling. So, the topic of marriage, particularly its creation and meaning, has been at the forefront of my mind.
As a result of this contemplation, I wrote the following prayer for two of my dear friends, but I offer it now as a prayer for every Berean spouse. I trust it will cause all who read it, married or not, to recognize the “very goodness” of God’s design for marriage, to long for the day when the profound mystery of marriage will be completely unveiled at Christ’s return, and most importantly to worship the Triune God who made all things and who will one day make all things new:
Father of heavenly lights, unchanging God, Giver of every good and perfect gift, including marriage. We know it is Your mighty hand which has brought this man and this woman together. We lift them up to You now, asking that You would help them to live out Your intended purpose for their marriage.
That in the life You give them together, they would, empowered by the Spirit, ever look to Jesus the founder and perfecter of their faith. In order that through every joy and trial you sovereignly bring them, they would know Your design for their marriage is “very good”.
May they hear Your pronouncement, “very good,” in the diverse seasons of life. May they hear and believe it in the face of heartbreaking loss, during heated disagreement, and in times of passionate romance.
May they hear “very good”, “very good” in harmony with the cries of new life, in the disappointment of their sin, in times of dancing and celebration, in sickness, and even as they close their eyes in death or are changed in an instant when Christ appears. Give them ears to hear “very good”, very good”, very good”.
Father, let Your proclamation lead your children on until they take their seats at the great marriage supper of the Lamb, where the river of life flows and the tree of life bears it’s fruit, where You will be their light as they reign forever and ever and Your glorious declaration will resound “Behold I am making all things new”.
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come”. And the One who is the Root and the Descendant of David, the Bright Morning Star, The Alpha and Omega, The First and Last, and the Beginning and the End says, “Surely, I am coming soon. Amen. Come Lord Jesus!”
In Christ,
Pastor Rich
