More What and Why...

Before I give a bit more background on why I am doing this blog, let me address the “what” I am doing with this blog.  This will be more than just me writing what I think (or am pretty sure) that God’s Word has to say about marriage and the many topics related to it.  There may be some posts with links to things I find or have found helpful in my study of what a biblical marriage looks like and I hope to have real life examples of how the model of Christ and His bride are lived out in day to day life by many of you.  As I alluded to in The Beginning post this will hopefully include many issues concerning the preparation of our young people for marriage.  This is usually done in a pre-marital counseling session with a pastor, and while this is entirely good, I think there is a better option.  Fathers, we are called to shepherd our children and the institution of marriage is the one huge thing that has life-long implications or complications, we hope for the first in the lives of the next generation of Christ followers.  Would it not be a great new chapter in the life of the 21^st century American church if all the young couples going to those marriage sessions already knew a great deal about how we can reflect the gospel of Christ in our marriages?  And what if all our existing marriages began to learn more and apply biblical knowledge in real life marriage situations also reflecting the Gospel to those around us?  What a wonderful world that would be, eh?  In fact, I am convinced this would be an excellent thing with immeasurable results.  My plan is to continue to learn from God’s Word and other believers including you and then pass all that knowledge on to anyone.  So what I am doing has a clear direction but is not exactly written in stone, so on to why am I doing this?  First, in light of the great grace of God in and on my own marriage, what can I do but praise Him?  Learning as much as possible, passing what I have learned on to others is what my heart has wanted to do for some time.  Tonia and I are hopeful to be allowed the privilege of helping others, married and not yet married, find the grace that is so completely transforming us.  Second, if for no other result than to prepare our young people for their eventual marriage, this will be a profitable venture for both them and us.  So, I must stress that we hope this is a learning experience for all who care to read or share and we pray that the knowledge gained will become wisdom.  As a new young friend stated earlier this year Wisdom is “properly applied knowledge”, so let’s get wise together!