Do you visualize your marriage as a mission field? When you think of a mission field you usually think of traveling to Africa, or Haiti, or some foreign country where the Word of God is taught to those who don’t know it. Missionaries live for Christ so intentionally that those who don’t know Him are eventually drawn to Him through the working of the Holy Spirit. A missionaries’ life isn’t to detract from the message of Christ, but to show the message of Christ in everyday living.

When you think about it, can’t that also be applied to our homes? Aren’t we called to live for Christ so intentionally (both outside and within our homes) so that those who are with us will see Christ? (See Matthew 25:36, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 5:22-27.) And wouldn’t that include our spouse? Is how you’re loving your husband/wife distorting their view of the love of Christ?

“Does your family see the difference Christ makes when you face a need? What difference does the presence of Jesus Christ make in your life? God wants to reveal Himself to those around you by working mightily through you. He wants your family to see Christ in you each day. God wants to express His love through your life. There’s a great difference between ‘living the Christian life’ and allowing Christ to live His life through you.” (Blackaby)

God has entrusted us with a mission field that’s right in our own homes. As we demonstrate the love of Christ to our spouse, we’re giving our love to the Lord. But that will require sacrifice on our part. There’s no doubt about it. We’re told that in this world we “will have trouble, but take heart, because Christ has overcome the world” (John 16:33). And more specifically as it pertains to marriage we’re told that “those who marry will face many troubles in this life” (1 Corinthians 7:28). It’s inevitable that our mission field will not be an easy one. That’s the way of the cross. We should never forget that, or we’ll miss the message of Christ.

One of the problems we face these days is we’re more bombarded by the “world’s” ideals on what love and marriage is all about, than we are by what God says about it. Think about it—isn’t that true? With all of the technology that’s now available to us, bringing “the world” into our homes and everyday lives, we’re surrounded by messages that distort what true Biblical love is all about.

All around us through the media, the schools, at work, and the people we come in contact with continually— we hear and see the picture of “ideal love” through the world’s eyes. It often doesn’t take long before it starts to seep into our own thoughts and eventually into our actions. And then we can more readily look at our spouse and start to see more flaws than anything else.

We need to quit “comparison shopping” when it comes to our marriages. No two people are alike. And no two marriages will ever be alike. We’re to let go of any “ideals” we’ve built up in our minds that would prevent us from accomplishing the mission of showing the sacrificial love and grace of the Lord to our spouse. We’re to live our lives so “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God”, and we are to take “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB).

Are you recognizing your mission in your marriage? Have you shown the love of God to your spouse today? What are you doing that’s distracting you from “living Christ” in your married life? Ask the Lord to show you how to reveal His love THROUGH you to your wife or husband right now, and for the rest of your lives together FROM THIS DAY FORWARD. We pray with all of our hearts that we don’t take this mission lightly and that at the end of our days here on earth, the Lord will greet us with the words, “Well done good and faithful servant!”

Have a blessed week!
Steve and Cindy Wright

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