Women Making a Difference in Marriage

Somewhere between her home
and a placard demanding equal rights
she got lost
wandering past the garden
following where the serpent pointed
she turned left instead of right
and got offtrack…….
and through the scenery looked vaguely familiar
a frown of consternation
began to crease her brow
as she realized
it was taking her
far too long
to reach her desired destination
still she determined to go
yet another mile
before turning off her chosen path
perhaps she was being too anxious……
and as she wandered
looking for a marker
to get her bearings
man wondered where she’d gone
as she ventured too far to hear
his need for her
or her children crying
and they too lost their way
trying to follow her
misled by traces of her perfume in the air
the memory of a gentle touch
an encouraging word…..
a piece of fabric soft to the skin
and sage advice
were found along the path
now littered with confusion
and distrust….
and as man’s shoulders began to slope in resignation
weakening his arms
causing him to abdicate his seat as protector
and her children began to find their own way
allowing new friends of rebellion
to fill the space she left behind
a cry rang out……
It filled the earth
it reached the skies
and rang throughout the heavens
“Woman, where art thou?”
“Woman, where art thou?”
“Woman, where art thou?”
it echoed off the mountaintops
and stretched across the plains
it descended throughout the valleys
this plaintive cry
mourning the absence
of this precious lost treasure
and she hearing the cry
came to a halt
not quite sure of where she stood
unable to give her location
she turned looking for her own
footprints in the sand
only to find shallow remembrances
of where she had been
and somewhere between her struggle to recall her true identity
and the place of her restoration
she saw visions of a man with sad eyes
longing for her love
praying for her return
and children
with their arms outstretched
crying for her wisdom to save them
but she had grown weary from the journey……..
sadness rooting her to the spot
depression bowing her
into herself
she succumbed to her fatigue
sinking into a deep and fitful sleep……
and in the distance
the ring of hammers
began hesitantly
building
and building again
until it reverberated
through the land…..
its sharp rhythm piercing the hearts of men
awakening sleeping women
and frustrated children
as wanted signs were posted
by determined hands
in search of the vanishing woman……………

“For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.”  Colossians 1:16

The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it.  The purpose of your marriage fits into a much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity.  The purpose of your marriage is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness.  It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions.  We must look at the original starting point in order to find something’s purpose. 

We will be looking at the purpose of marriage and how we as women, we can influence our own marriages in the way that God had intended marriage to function.  Contrary to what many popular books, movies, and seminars tell you, you won’t discover your marriage’s purpose by looking within yourself.  You didn’t create marriage, so there is no way you can know why it was created.  Only the creator (God) or the owner’s manual (the Bible) could reveal its purpose.

“We speak of God’s secret wisdom…a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.  None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1 Corinthians 2:7