The main problem with the graphs presented on marriage is that they are extremely compartmentalized. I don’t think that is the kind of lives that God wants us to lead. God doesn’t just want 2/3 of my time to be spent with Him while I’m single and then the other 1/3 to be spent with my other relationships. He wants me to live my life and He desperately wants to be involved in every aspect of it- including the relationships I have. And when I go on to get married, it’s not about carving out more time for a significant other, and less time for God. It’s about inviting God to join in the union, and to be involved in that aspect of my life. I don’t want God to just have one piece of the pie. He doesn’t just get the slot allotted “time spent with God”- He gets the “time spent with friends”, and the “time spent with significant other” and the “time working” and the “time going to school” and so on. He gets all of it.
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Mark 12: 29-31). Our relationship with God is central and primary. From that relationship all other relationships are formed and established.
In the Old Testament, God’s people viewed all of life as worship- from eating, to working to the emotions they felt. Nothing was separate from each other or compartmentalized. I think that the chart needs to be reworked with Jesus at the center, and having all other relationships stemming from it. Otherwise your marriage will fail, and you will be a “moderately serious Christian”.
Posted by: Steve Veasey
Original Article: "Marriage is for Moderately Serious Christians"
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2 comments:
What you said about the two graphs is very true. We shouldn't compartmentalize God in our lives.
I think that we need to be very aware of our tendancy to keep things seperated in our lives. Like when we make a schedule for our upcoming week or when we make a "flow chart" for a program or show. I think many people keep things seperated in their lives for simplicity. It is more easy to focus on things if we keep them apart from each other.
It is for this reason that we tend to apoint time for God in our lives because we are able to focus on him more easily. However, God doesn't teach us to do this. Like you said, he wants to be involved in everything we do.
This is why I think Paul is warning us about marriage and other distracting relationships, because he knows how easily we get distracted from including God in everything we do.
Constantly being open to the spirit and being aware of God in every situation is extremely hard! I know sometimes that I feel like it is a burden to think about God and invite the Holy Spirit in on a thought, idea, relationship, or situation.
Can anyone relate?
But I know that with time and God's grace I can learn to get into the habit of including God in my life instead of a day, hour, or minute. Remember learning how to drive (especially standard) and how hard it was to focus on your speed, breaking properly, being aware of what was around you, shoulder checking, shifting etc...? How are you at driving now that you have practiced/trained yourself over time? Most likely it is easier to keep focused on the things that you need to do while driving now. Including God in everything takes persistance, passion, training, time, and most importantly God's grace and strength!
What are some ways we can include God in the relationships of our lives...family, friends, co-workers, people we first meet or don't know that well? How do we include God practically in these relationships?
Steve, how do you interpret Pauls comments about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7?
I just want to add something. You don't necessarily have to have allotted time set aside for God. Althouh you may need your time to read the bible, etc., you can still be in his presence and worship him in everyday activities. For example, I don't make a time slot for God in my everyday life; I pray/talk to him whenever I feel the need to and thank/worship him when led. I may be driving in the car and praying, in the shower, even talking to somebody and praying a silent prayer over them.
With our busy lifestyle, it's hard to find specific "time for God." I like to think that you are ALWAYS spending time with God, and worshipping him - praying to him - through out the day.
One isn't necessarily more "Godly" just because they read their bible more or spend hours upon hours having devo time with God. God just wants to be a part of your life, so if you live it with him by your side all the time, I think he's happy.
(I hope that made sense, I'm not the best comment writer.)
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