Mediocracy Is Not OK!

Why do we settle for an o.k. marriage? It has been on my heart to see us fulfill what God had originally intended for marriage. I am currently reading Tim and Anne Evans book called, “Marriage It’s Not About Me.” I love the way they break down God’s original design for marriage. God intended our marriage to reflect and reveal his true nature of love, relationship, oneness, servant hood. We are to mirror Him. The Hebrew word for mirror means to reflect God, to magnify, exalt, and glorify Him. Can you honestly say that your marriage mirrors God’s image? I’m not trying to condemn or shame anyone. Believe me when I say that I’m also speaking to myself. But my wife and I have made a commitment to try to mirror His image in our marriage. It is not easy at times; I must die to myself daily. (Genesis 1:27-28)- “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” God had purposed oneness in marriage. Complete transparency with each other and with Him. Adam and Eve was the perfect love relationship. Not only were they physically naked but they were also spiritually naked with each other and their heavenly Father. (Genesis 2:24)- “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” But we all know the story of the fall where Eve eats the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and gives it to Adam. This act gave the enemy authority to come and rob, steal, and destroy marriage. Ever since the fall, the enemy has used shame, guilt, fear, control, and has stolen our identity of whose image we are made of to destroy marriage and family. Marriage and family are under attack. I remember my mom telling me when she was a young girl growing up in Scotland during WWII, the air raid sirens would sound. She said if they were outside they would run home, put on a helmet and a gas mask and go to the basement if they had one. The siren has been sounded and it is time to gather the troops in unity and take back Gods original design for marriage. Thankfully Jesus was born, died on the cross, and ascended into heaven. This sacrificial act gave us back the authority to rule and have dominion over all things on earth, including the enemy. We can live out Gods original plan for marriage. No more with settling with so-so marriages. Are you not sick and tired of being sick and tired? I want revival in our marriages, in our families. The secular world should be looking at our marriages in the church and wondering how they can have the same thing in their marriage. To often our marriages look the same as the secular world. The divorce rate in the church is the same as outside the church. That is sad. How can we change the world when we look like the world? Let our marriages and families be a light in this time of attack. Let us show the world that Gods design for marriage is the only design that works. A marriage of oneness in relationship with our heavenly Father. A marriage of love, understanding, forgiveness, patience, kindness, sacrifice, service, and a willingness to lay down our life for our spouse. So let’s not settle for less. We can change the view of marriage in our society by just mirroring the image of God in our own marriage. Do not under estimate what our all powerful, glorious Father can do. Like I said before, lets not put God in a box. I’m not condemning you if you are having issues in your marriage. We all go through struggles in our marriage and can I tell you about struggle. But let’s not choose to stay there or buy into the lie of the enemy that it can never get better or bye into shame, fear, guilt, control, or just giving up. I tell you from experience, our God is a God of miracles. He will change your circumstance if you completely rely on Him. God rejoices when our marriages reflect and reveal who He truly is. LOVE!
So it is time to start living. Living in a marriage that reflects and reveals our Father. No more excuses! (Philippians 4:13)- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Also along with allowing God to work in us, we need to stay connected with other couples. We need to learn and reach out to others. Do not let shame and fear isolate you. On the other hand, we need to make ourselves available to others who are struggling. Yes, we have to sometimes go out of our way for others. Disrupt our comfortable lives. We reflect and reveal the love of God when we do. We cannot fight this battle on our own. So let’s learn to pray for other marriages, to go out of our way for others, to build friendships, and stay connected. We will take back what the enemy has stolen. Our marriages will mirror the image of God.

Mark and Raquel Soto