SERIOUS COVENANT? WHAT''S YOUR GOAL?

Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?”they asked.  ⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. Matt. 19:7-8

Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a Christian man has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. ¹³ And if a Christian woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. ¹⁴ For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage.  ¹⁶ Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you? 1 Cor. 7:12-14,16

I've been married 11 years and 5mos, and if I think back to the exact day that I stood before my peers with my beautiful bride, and ask myself what was my goal......I struggle with that.  Why?  Because at that time, during that moment I knew I was focused on doing the right thing, I knew that God spoke to me and told me that Cherilyn was my wife, and we both felt good about our decision, we loved each other.....but WHAT WAS OUR GOAL in getting married?  Was it to successfully raise kids and have a loving,comfortable, fruitful Christian married life? Maybe....maybe our personal goals were to feel fulfilled, completed, loved, respected.....etc, seriously?  We took traditional vows.......I know it said something about being loved, honored and cherished....but did it say anything about being fulfilled, respected, completed, or happy?

See in today's scriptures we see a few things: 

1) God's heart, His goal and purpose for marriage from the beginning was that this was a permanent union that would be an Earthly representation of His Holiness and Character through two people coming together as ONE, as He is ONE (with the Holy Spirit and Christ).  According to Ephesians 5: Holiness is the goal!

2) Divorce was created by MAN, because our hearts became hard towards one another & GOD (if we are honest)!  The hardening of our hearts make it SERIOUSLY difficult to love GOD (cause we question Him regarding our NEEDS not being met by our spouse) and our spouse because we are focused on ourselves.

3)  God's purpose is that all would come to know Him, repent, and love Him.   This is why INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT Paul wrote " this is not a direct command from the Lord" that an unsaved spouse possible ONLY hope of coming to KNOW the LORD, REPENT, and LOVE HIM maybe through the devotion of the believing spouse.

Tomorrow I'll address those that have been married, divorced, and remarried but today....no matter where you are......WHAT'S YOUR GOAL?  Do you even have a goal for your marriage?  If you do.....  DOES YOUR GOAL line up with GOD's, because if it doesn't that maybe the bulk of your struggle.   Is your goal that your marriage would tell the truth about GOD to your children, to the world?  Does your marriage show the LOVE, KINDNESS, MERCY, TENDERNESS, PATIENCE of GOD towards your spouse?  Because of YOUR DEVOTION do your kids talk about getting married, do they fantasize and dream about enjoying their own husband/wife and children?  Remember you marriage is a testimony.  I pray GOD's blessings be upon you..........LGLP