Gen 2:23 And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Mat 19:6 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

The next time you are in church service take a quick survey and notice the couple to your left and then to your right (don’t stare, just look). Then stop and realize that of the three couples included in your “survey”, (you included), only one or two of you really stand a chance of having a lasting marriage, (I didn’t say lasting and happy). These aren’t very good odds are they? Statistics show that from 35 to 50% of marriages will end in divorce. These same statistics also say that for the first time since Adam sewed the fig leaves on his bride, we church people have caught up with the secular world (or is that fallen back to?) when it comes to divorce and broken marriages. Isn’t that an exciting testimony of the church of Jesus Christ?

We can come up with endless possibilities as to why a covenant relationship that is ordained by God could possibly end in divorce and destruction. Some of these possibilities could include financial problems, family pressures, moral failure, or we could choose from a myriad of other excuses that cause a couple that once stood before God and friends to make a commitment for life, to now stand before a judge and dissolve what God has put together. The bottom line is that we have an epidemic on our hands. There are many things that have contributed to the creation of this epidemic, but there is really only one solution to putting a stop to it. A return to the basic biblical principles that govern all relationships in general and our marriage relationships in particular is needed.

One of the biggest challenges we face is that the generation that is now preparing for marriage have no idea just what those biblical principles are. The group of people that are between the ages of 16 and 26 are the very ones who are facing marriage without having had the teaching or the role models of what a biblical marriage really is. In a recent conversation with a young dating couple I realized just how real this problem really is. We had gotten to know each other over a period of time and I realized that some of their behavior was barely appropriate for a married couple but certainly not for a dating couple. So we had an honest discussion. Both these people had no idea just what the boundaries should be. They were in their early 20’s and this was the first time that anyone had really spoken to them about dating and marriage and the appropriate behavior that goes with these relationship situations. I am finding that this is more common than I thought. People just don’t know and they are afraid to ask.

If this epidemic is going to be overcome then we as the church need to lead the fight. We are the light of the world: but from the world’s perspective we aren’t shining that brightly in the area of marriage and relationships. Every couple that has entered this covenant relationship has a role to play in restoring the integrity and the position that marriage once held. Ask yourself some questions like, “What are we modeling and what example are we setting for the next generation?” “How can I do my part?” or “What can our church do to begin to turn the tide and win back what Satan has stolen? or “How can we create a climate in our church that will allow couples the opportunity to grow in their marriages?” The problem is huge but the possibilities are endless. Our God is a BIG God!

We are excited here at Presque Isle Wesleyan Church to be hosting a Family Life Marriage Seminar on April 22nd and 23rd. “Family Life” has been building and defending marriage and family for over 25 years and it is a privilege for us to be a part of this ministry here in northern Maine. It is our prayer that God would direct you to those couples that could benefit most from this biblical teaching, and that He would also birth a desire in your heart to develop an effective marriage ministry in your church and community. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn how to build your home on solid ground by examining the blueprints for lasting marriage.

Psa 127:1 Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.