3 Marriage Lessons From Abraham and Sarah
It's no accident that many of the stories in the Bible that follow
the lives of men who followed God also followed their marriages and
family. In every grand scheme of God, He involves not just an individual
but their community starting with the marriage.
It's been said that a man who can follow God into war but not follow
God's commands on marriage is set up for the biggest failure. How many
leaders do we see today sacrifice marriages for the sake of career,
legacy or success outside of the home? God does not intend for us to
lose track of our marriages but instead wants to bless our marriages so
that they become a tool and not a hindrance to our purpose.
Abraham and Sarah are one example of what it means to follow God not
just in a vocational calling but even in personal relationships. From
their marriage we learn what it is to have a marriage that propels God's
purposes. Here are three lessons we can learn from the marriage of
Abraham and Sarah.
1. God's call is best followed together
When God called Abraham, He called not just him but his whole
household. Genesis 12:5 says, "And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot
his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and
the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to
the land of Canaan."
While it's true that some couples may be called into two separate
things, even when they're not doing the exact same thing, they can still
do it together as a unit, even if that means only in a spiritual sense,
praying for one another, supporting each other. Abraham and Sarah did a
lot of different things, but they always did them together.
2. Doubt is never good for marriage
Abraham and Sarah were not always people of faith. There were times
that they doubted and their doubt got them into big trouble. One
instance when their doubt brought burdens was when Sarah and Abraham
tried to help God fulfill His promise of a son through Hagar. Genesis
16:2 says, "And Sarai said to Abram, 'Behold now, the Lord has prevented
me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall
obtain children by her.' And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai."
Sometimes we can find ourselves trying to help God fulfill His
promises not because we're naturally helpful but because we doubt Him.
This kind of doubt either towards God or towards each other can never
spell anything good for us.
3. God's promises will bless your marriage
God did not just bless Abraham, but Sarah as well. Not only that, but
through their marriage they were able to become a blessing to many
others through the lineage that came from them. Also, if it weren't for
Abraham's seed, the world would never have received the promise of
salvation through Christ who was a descendant of Abraham. When God
blesses a servant, He blesses his family too. When we serve God, we
should expect blessings and promises not just for us but even for our
spouses and our children.
God's original design for marriage is to serve a purpose that is much
bigger than just two people. Our marriages, just like Abraham and
Sarah's, can become an instrument of blessing not just to the family but
to communities, cities and even nations if put in the hands of God.
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