Recently I've been listening to Pastor John Piper's pod casts a lot. (Technology continues to floor me as nowadays I can put my daughter in her stroller and take her for a walk all the while listening to someone proclaim God's Word on my i-pod. CRAZY!) Some people aren't real fond of John Piper because of his tendency to emphasize the providence & sovereignty of GOD Almighty (a theological hot-topic for heady college students who seem to have tons to say while having little to no life experiences and an incredible affinity to avoid at all costs any experience that may cause them to "pay their dues" and not be in the spotlight.) A-HEM!!! Excuse me! Anyways......I like John Piper. The biggest reason is because of his undeniable love for Jesus Christ and the gospel and the intensity he displays in the pulpit while proclaiming the gospel.
I've enjoyed the series on Marriage John Piper has recently been teaching because, quite franky, I've never heard anyone (Preacher or Oprah) talk about marriage like this before! The basic premise of John Piper's series on marriage is this: What if marriage isn't about the warm fuzzies and Hollywood's idea of "being in love"? What if, instead, the main point of marriage is that it is a parable of Christ's covenant relationship with his church?
So....in layman's terms, the point of marriage is NOT me or my wife but instead the point is that all who see us & know us might seeclearly how Christ & the church relate to one another.
The Lord has really been stretching me as I have been mulling over this holy stuff. If this is true then it means that every time I choose to be the spiritual leader of my home, and a man who leads devotions, or prays with my family, or reads scripture to my baby girl before she goes to sleep, or cuddles and sings "Jesus loves you" to her at night, or spends time loving my wife and doing special things for her, I am displaying Chirst's covenant love for his church.
Maybe marriage isn't about feeling warm fuzzies every day. Perhaps instead it's about loving and choosing Christlike faithfulness to my bride in good times and bad times, during prosperity and need, during trials and celebration, on the mountain and in the valley of the shadow of death and choosing selfless love over selfish ambition every day of our marriage. Because that is exactly how Jesus Christ displays his love for His church.
To listen to this series search for "Desiring God" on i-tunes or go to www.desiringgod.org
2 comments:
This is what the church fathers have said all along, except they tend to use the word "icon" instead of "parable." Really, most of the best ideas are the old ideas.
"What if marriage isn't about the warm fuzzies and Hollywood's idea of "being in love"? What if, instead, the main point of marriage is that it is a parable of Christ's covenant relationship with his church?"
Interesting insight!
One of the most interesting examples of God's marriage to us that I've found is in Hosea. This isn't in the same context but it is marriage non-the-less.
It blows my mind to know that God would bind a prophet and a prostitute in eternal matrimony to give His people a living example of how much God desires to be close to His people inspite of how they prostituted themselves.
Here's a great verse to go along with your commentary:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Ephesians 5:25
Wow, marriage comes with great cost doesn't it?!
Peace,
Phil B.
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