In coming up with a romantic theme for a marriage conference, you might think that your pastors could have come up with something better than using the book title “When Sinners Say ‘I Do’”. But I would argue that this title is quite romantic. “Why?” you ask. Because when two Christian sinners say “I do” – God says, “I will” (Philip. 1:6). From day one, and everyday after, God is and will be at work in your marriage – working to make you more like Christ – empowering you to love your spouse with a love that brings glory to God. What could be more romantic than that?
This past weekend many of us experienced the blessing of getting away with our spouse, encountering God and finding biblical encouragement, help, and hope for our marriages. Dave Harvey, pastor and author of When Sinners Say “I Do”, helped us see the redeeming work of the Cross in our marriages (Session 1). Because of the Cross, we can trust in God’s justifying grace and experience God’s sanctifying grace. In our marriages, this means that we are able to receive from God the mercy that we need and, by His grace, reflect that mercy to our spouse (Session 2). God uses our marriages as a means of grace in God’s transforming work in our lives, making us more like Christ and displaying His glorious grace (Session 3).
Do you want to better understand and experience these realities in your marriage? If your answer is “Yes!” – then let me share these encouragements.
If God has spoken to you though these messages, prayerfully consider with your spouse the specific ways that God wants you to participate in the work that He is doing in your marriage. Here are some questions to consider – 1) What are some of your “favorite things” that God wants you to lay down in love? 2) How can you better receive and reflect the mercy of God to your spouse, especially in his or her weakness? 3) How can you better embrace your spouse as a means of grace in God’s sanctifying work in your life? 4) How can you better participate in God’s sanctifying work in the life of your spouse?
If you weren’t at the retreat and at this point are really starting to feel like you’ve missed out, you can still get in on this by listening online to the transforming truth of God’s Word found in these messages, along with your spouse. (Click here to listen to or download these messages.)
Scripture describes the riches of God’s grace that we have found in Christ Jesus as being immeasurable and unsearchable – and we have the joy of better knowing the fulness of this loving grace when sinners say “I Do”.
- Doug
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