It's no accident that many of the stories in the Bible that follow the lives of men who followed God also followed their marriages and family. In every grand scheme of God, He involves not just an individual but their community starting with the marriage.
It's been said that a man who can follow God into war but not follow God's commands on marriage is set up for the biggest failure. How many leaders do we see today sacrifice marriages for the sake of career, legacy or success outside of the home? God does not intend for us to lose track of our marriages but instead wants to bless our marriages so that they become a tool and not a hindrance to our purpose.
Abraham and Sarah are one example of what it means to follow God not just in a vocational calling but even in personal relationships. From their marriage we learn what it is to have a marriage that propels God's purposes. Here are three lessons we can learn from the marriage of Abraham and Sarah.
1. God's call is best followed together
When God called Abraham, He called not just him but his whole household. Genesis 12:5 says, "And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan."
While it's true that some couples may be called into two separate things, even when they're not doing the exact same thing, they can still do it together as a unit, even if that means only in a spiritual sense, praying for one another, supporting each other. Abraham and Sarah did a lot of different things, but they always did them together.
2. Doubt is never good for marriage
Abraham and Sarah were not always people of faith. There were times that they doubted and their doubt got them into big trouble. One instance when their doubt brought burdens was when Sarah and Abraham tried to help God fulfill His promise of a son through Hagar. Genesis 16:2 says, "And Sarai said to Abram, 'Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.' And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai."
Sometimes we can find ourselves trying to help God fulfill His promises not because we're naturally helpful but because we doubt Him. This kind of doubt either towards God or towards each other can never spell anything good for us.
3. God's promises will bless your marriage
God did not just bless Abraham, but Sarah as well. Not only that, but through their marriage they were able to become a blessing to many others through the lineage that came from them. Also, if it weren't for Abraham's seed, the world would never have received the promise of salvation through Christ who was a descendant of Abraham. When God blesses a servant, He blesses his family too. When we serve God, we should expect blessings and promises not just for us but even for our spouses and our children.
God's original design for marriage is to serve a purpose that is much bigger than just two people. Our marriages, just like Abraham and Sarah's, can become an instrument of blessing not just to the family but to communities, cities and even nations if put in the hands of God.
