Devotion for Marriages – Repairer of Breach & Restorer of Streets
We would like to end the way we begin. We started our devotion by looking at Matt.5:13-14 – “You are the salt of the earth… (vs.14) you are the light of the earth”. And we say that if individually we are truly “salt and light” for Christ, then in marriage we should be “greater salt and light” through the power of synergy in unity. Lev.26:8 – “Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight…”
Thus, our goal of these devotions is not just to help you enjoy a wonderful and romantic marriage, though it includes that. But our ultimate goal is to help build a healthy marriage as a testimony for God, and that together, both of you can have an undivided devotion to the Lord. Marriage can be used as a means of improving our devotion to Jesus.
We do not want to give the impression that we emphasize marriage so much that the goal of Christianity is to have a happy marriage and God becomes a means to that end. Kingdom and eternity mindedness change how we view marriage and everything else in this life.
Though Paul, who wrote Eph.5:25, exhorts us “to love your wives as Christ loved the church”, but let’s not forget the words of Jesus also, which says that “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Lk.14:26). We need to find the healthy tension of obeying both passages.
Go to the nations and make as many disciples as possible and as much depth as possible. But ensure that we are making disciples with families that will glorify Jesus.
Visions and Goals for Marriage
Vision is powerful. It is the principle that enables prisoners of war to survive. Research shows it is what gives successful children the drive to succeed. It is a moving power behind successful individuals and organizations in every walk of life. Vision gives us the power to rise above our baggage and act based on what really matters to us.
Nonetheless, most families do not have a clear vision or mission statement that is critical to organizational success. Yet, families are the most important, fundamental organisation in the world, the literal building block of the society. No civilisation has ever survived its breakup.
If we want to build a family that will not only survive but thrive in this broken world, we need to create a vision of what we want our family to be like, what we would live by, what we would stand for, and what we would even die for. Creating a family mission statement will give us a destination and a compass to work on.
All things are created twice. First comes the idea or blueprint, after which comes the reality or physical creation. An architect with a team of people with great skills and craftsmanship will not be able to complete a project without a blueprint. What is the blueprint of your marriage?
Creating a family vision statement is taking charge of the first creation. It’s deciding what kind of family you really want to be and identifying the principles that will help you get there. And that decision will give context to every other decision you make. It will become your destination.
A Call to Bring Healing and Restoration to Marriages and Families
Isaiah 58:12 – “Those from among you shall build old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In”.
Sadly, all over the nations, many foundations of marriage and families are broken, relationships are hurting and in pain. We pray that through meditating on these devotions, some among you will aspire to bring healing to these broken relationships. Only if we are willing and surrendered in God’s Hand, can we play a part in the kingdom to help to raise up the “foundations of old”, be a “Repairer of the Breach” and a “Restorer of Streets” to many marriages and family.”
Neh.1:3 – “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire”.
Like the days of Nehemiah, many marriage and families all over the nations are in great distress and pain. Many tears of lonely adults and abandoned children are shed day after day. The walls of many marriages and families have been broken down and burnt by the enemy. We need to be willing to rise and build!
A dysfunctional marriage will lead to a dysfunctional family, which then leads to dysfunctional individuals that ultimately lead to a dysfunctional society. If we can reach the families, we can disciple the nations!
It is our most ardent and sincere prayer for every couple who meditates on these devotions that God will richly bless and enrich your marriage, so that you are among those who will help rebuild the walls of broken marriages, have the burden to build old waste places, raise up the foundations of many generations, be the repairer of breach and restorer of streets to many families, so that through you, many marriages and families of the nations may be blessed.
Points to Ponder:
Are both of you committed to a marriage that will bring glory to His name on the earth and impact the next generation positively for His kingdom?
Do you have a clear vision or mission statement for your marriage or family? Beginning with the end in mind helps to create a clear vision of what you desire in your marriage.
Have both of you sought the Lord on how you can be a part to bring healing and restoration to marriages and families in His kingdom?