For The Lord Sees Clearly What A Man Does
The Perfect Marriage
PROVERBS 5:15-23
“Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well. Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets? Let them be only your own, And not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; And always be enraptured with her love. For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, And be embraced in the arms of a seductress? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
”Proverbs 5:15-23 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/pro.5.15-23.NKJ
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This passage is picture of faithfulness in marriage and our relationship with Christ.
In Old Testament times it was considered a crime to steal water from someone else’s well, just as it was a criminal offence to indulge in sexual relations with another persons spouse.
Today, adultery has become “normal” in society, like it’s ok as long as I’m not the victim.
But God’s Laws haven’t changed.
Adultery destroys lives including the lives of the children and is totally unacceptable.
God’s Laws all have purpose. Sexual relationships outside of marriage brings many problems, and all kinds life issues, like single parent families, unwanted children, and even abortion, not to mention the spread of sexually transmitted disease.
Godly marriage brings stability, promotes higher moral standards, and disciplined family life that is passed on through the generations.
This passage urges couples to view marriage as a life-long commitment; for life-long companionship; and for life-long mutual satisfaction, and with it comes wonderful fruits and the fulfilment of life.
If you allow your marriage to become dull or boring, the temptations of the devil will come to entice you to find excitement and pleasures you crave elsewhere. It’s just a matter of time, which is why so many marriages fail.
Indeed, 1 CORINTHIANS 7:5 tells us, “Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
I Corinthians 7:5 NKJV
But what about our relationship with Christ; are we believers not His bride (EPHESIANS 5:27)?
Most Christian marriages fail because of lack of intimacy and a fight over control, not accepting their place within the relationship or their obligations within marriage.
The same can be said within church, we believers often forget our place, that we stand before the Most High and are all to bow the knee.
Just as many deprive their spouse in marriage, so many are guilty of depriving Christ.
We come together once a week on Sundays, sing a few songs, giving lip service, but much of the time, our hearts are not in it.
“Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,”
Isaiah 29:13 NKJV
Christ is the head of His church, as a man is the head of his wife (EPHESIANS 5:22). Just as every believer, the bride of Christ is subject to Jesus, so every wife is subject to her husband as to the Lord (EPHESIANS 5:22).
If the “bride” does not respect her husband and submit, whether in our relationship with God or in our physical marriages, we can expect the marriage to fail. The same can be said when the husband fails to be the head of his wife. We must all know and accept our place in life and walk in our God given identity.
If one is to look toward another with lust outside of marriage, which is adultery, his or her spouse has every right to divorce; just as when a believer worships another god, so our God has every right to divorce, and He is a very jealous God (EXODUS 34:14).
If we are to deny intimacy, whether we deny Christ within the church or our spouse in our personal lives, we can expect our marital relationships to break down.
Marriage is not supposed to be boring or dull and neither is our relationship with Christ.
If our hearts are not in it, there shall be no intimacy.
Intimacy is not just about sexual relations; it is quality time together, eating together, having conversation, a touch on the back of the hand, or a loving word, and it is putting our inhibitions aside and coming together appropriately and often with heart felt selfless love.
Just as It takes effort to keep our marital relationships alive and exciting, so it takes effort to keep our relationship with Christ alive and exciting.
Intimacy is not coming together once a week because one thinks he ought, or simply going through the motions for self satisfaction, or to be seen as righteous.
Genuine heart felt intimacy with Christ, just as heart felt intimacy with one’s spouse, is selfless heart felt giving and sharing, even when it doesn’t suit us at the time.
It is selflessly giving without expectation, and is key to a marriage that will withstand the test of time.
Relationship takes two, both must take responsibility for their own part.
In ministry, Christ has done his part and continues in perfection; are you doing your part?
Christ does not hold back from you, therefore don’t hold back from Him.
Make time for heart felt prayer and worship every day, and come together in assembly often.
In the same way, do not withhold from your spouse, make time for each other every day, and come together often. Be an unshared cistern for your spouse, a fountain of selfless love that flows from a bottomless well of affectionate intimacy that never stops flowing. Withholding intimacy is like throwing your spouse under a bus.
Just as we believers have become one in Christ, a man and a woman become one in marriage (MATHEW 19:6).
To abuse one’s spouse is to abuse one’s self. To cheat one’s spouse, is to cheat oneself. To withhold from your spouse, is to withhold from oneself. So why do it?
“And whatever you do to least of God’s people, you do to Christ (MATHEW 25:40), and whatever one withholds from the least of Gods people, you withhold from Christ (MATHEW 25:45).
My beloved, how much more should you bless your spouse?
The man is head of his wife and must lead her through life, as Christ is the head of His church and leads His people through life.
Just as Christ loved the church, so a husband must love his wife, and by the way, Christ died for His church.
A rebellious wife who withholds from her husband is a picture of the rebellious church, that refuses to submit to God.
Therefore, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
Ephesians 5:22-33 NKJV
Whether it’s your relationship with Christ or your spouse, it cannot survive without ongoing intimacy and loyalty.
Therefore, be loyal, honest and transparent with one another
“For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.”
Proverbs 5:21-23 NKJV
Therefore, “A husband should satisfy his wife’s needs. And a wife should satisfy her husband’s needs. The wife’s body does not belong only to her. It also belongs to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong only to him. It also belongs to his wife. You shouldn’t stop giving yourselves to each other. You might possibly do this when you both agree to it. And you should only agree to it to give yourselves time to pray. Then you should come together again. In that way, Satan will not tempt you when you can’t control yourselves.”
1 Corinthians 7:3-5 NIRV
Finally my beloved, in all our relationships, continue to show deep love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins (1 PETER 4:8). It is a weapon of mass destruction against our enemies.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
