Books On Purpose

Good Morning Sweet Friends!

I am eating up a book right now! Out of 192 pages, I consumed 41 in a flash. John Piper is one of my favorite authors and speakers and this time I am hooked. This Momentary Marriage is tasty!

I haven't studied very many books on marriage or the "self-help" type. Man's methods...they are as numbered as the stars. This book is different. Coming from the standpoint that marriage is from God, through Him, and for Him, Piper presents the purpose of marriage, to put the covenant relationship of Christ and his church on display.

Piper makes four points in the first half of the book that I should include most surely in this review. First I'd like to highlight Ephesians 5:31-32:

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother

and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall

become one flesh." 32 This mystery is profound, and I am

saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

Keeping that verse in mind let us also look at Genesis 2:18:

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man

should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."

and verse 22

"And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man

he made into a woman and brought her to the man."

The four points from John Piper that I would like to display this morning are:

1.) God's design in creation. God made Eve as a helper fit for Adam. He contrived her with intent. She was part of the design.

2.) Piper points out that God brought her to Adam. He states that God "took the role of being the first father to give away the bride."

3.) God spoke the design of marriage into existence. We read it in Ephesians. "Therefore a man shall leave..." Did you notice the words "hold fast"? That is a covenant-keeping hold.

4.) God performs the one-flesh union. God joins them; He is the doer. We so often think about the parents, the pastor, or the couple as coming together by their efforts, but it says God creates this.

Oh my stars! The mysteries of marriage should cause us to call on God for his grace daily! Do you realize dear readers why divorce misrepresents Christ?

As Piper affirms God would never leave his church. He tells us, in Matthew 28:20, "I am with you always, to the end of the age."

In my opinion, if marriage is the doing of God and the display of God, than a relationship of living together would misrepresent Christ as well. Why? Christ would never not commit to his bride. This writer cannot speak as one who has not made this mistake.

The second half of the book dives into grace, and the roles of a man and a woman in this very special and unique relationship. We may follow up on that half later. Until then, if you've never really thought about the fact that your marriage proclaims the gospel, try to deliberately live that out today.

It is such a blessing for me to share with you!

Warmly,

Alis