How Jesus Restores Marriage
Marriage matters. The quality of care between spouses matters. Generations to come are impacted by that quality, or the lack thereof. To paraphrase John Paul II, how husband and wife care for each other impacts the dignity and destiny of those they influence.
Especially their children. Kids are those most impacted and least heard in battles surrounding marriage. Jesus loves kids. He hates it when they are stumbled by broken, selfish parents. So He acts to restore marriage for the good of all: restoring first the parents, who can then offer themselves well to their children.
Jesus loves His image in humanity. He reiterates the power of marriage as male and female in Matt. 19: 4-6 when He decries the effort of any created thing to separate the two whom God has joined as one.
Paul takes this a step further when he describes Jesus as the true image of God in humanity. (Col. 1:15) The Apostle claims that Jesus created all living things, and can redeem what was lost or broken through His sacrifice on the cross. (vs.16-20)
So Jesus is the embodiment of God’s image, and the Creator of that image in us. That gives Him awareness of who we truly are (who He made us to be), how we have fallen, and what needs to happen so that we can be restored to His will for our humanity. That has significance for our covenants.
Jesus indwells marriage through His Spirit when we invoke His name and power. It is as if we are saying: “Jesus, You who are God’s true image, indwell this expression of Your image. Make it what You will. You authored it: sustain and redeem it. Renew it daily as we as one look to You–the One true image from whom this ‘image’ draws its meaning.”
Jesus is the faithful covenant-keeper. He so hates the dividing of one-flesh that He fights for the quality of that unity. He does battle on behalf of marriage: first in His dying, second in His risen life. He is mighty in Spirit to raise us up to love the other when our hearts are weak and divided. He grants us grace to love beyond what we are capable of.
He wants our children to have a legacy of love. So He is at once tender and fiery toward us in our faithlessness. He burns with both mercy and judgment toward wayward spouses. For His name’s sake. And for the sake of children that will bear the mark of infidelity unless their parents submit to the Creator and Restorer of that marriage.
Jesus declares with mercy and might on behalf of children: “Let marriage be honored by all, and let the marriage bed be kept pure!” (Heb. 13:4) Vote YES on Proposition 8.
“Jesus. We honor You as the true image of God in humanity. We look to You as the Source of our care for the other, and our Restorer where we have failed to love this other well. Open our eyes to the impact of our marriage upon children. Lord have mercy.”
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