Marriage is a God-ordained partnership originally meant to help enable mankind to do God's will on earth.
We find this truth in Genesis 1:26-28, when God created man:
"Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.""
While some might argue that marriage isn't explicitly created for that purpose, we can read between the lines and see that God did institute marriage as a means for man to do His will. Genesis 2:18, however, makes it more plain to us:
"And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.""
With these verses we understand that God did ordain marriage as a holy partnership between Him, a man, and a woman, that His will would be done.
Marriage as a means to pursue God's will
That said, every married Christian should learn to see their marriage according to God's design. It's a high-priority relationship designed to help both a man and a woman pursue God in holiness, righteousness, and love.
My fellow married Christians, here are a few things we should do with our spouse in order to pursue the Lord and let His will be done.
1) Keep marriage pure
Guys, did you know that before we could ever desire to launch ourselves into ministry, we should take care of our marriages first? Paul gave this as one of the most important qualifications to being an overseer (or elder or bishop) in the church:
"This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife..." (see 1 Timothy 3:1-2)
The same thing goes for anyone who wishes to serve in ministry (see 1 Timothy 3:12).
If we want to see God's will done in our lives, we must see it first in our marriages. Why is that? It's because it's God will for marriage to be kept pure and holy.
2) Set aside times to pray and seek God together and alone
Couples who desire to pursue God will want to spend time in prayer, both alone and together. This is very, very important.
Many married men and women see their prayer habits affected by their marriage relationship. Sometimes, both parties find it difficult to pray together. At times, both can't find enough time to pray alone because of many concerns they have as a married couple.
Christian husbands and wives should learn to set aside times to pray and seek God together, and time to be alone with God too. 1 Corinthians 7:5 tells us,
"Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."
While Paul said these words were spoken "as a concession, not as a commandment" (see verse 6), there's wisdom in them.
Married couples should choose to spend good quality time together whenever they're together. They should also desire to be with each other always, protecting the marriage.
3) Work hand-in-hand to do God's will
Lastly, married couples should do as God had designed us to do: working together with our spouse to obey the Lord and follow Him.
In Genesis 2:18, we read God giving man a "helper," someone to partner with him in doing God's will.
In Genesis 1:26-28, we understand that God created both the man and the woman, the first married couple, to take dominion over creation and fill and subdue the earth.
God designed a husband and a wife to be able to work together perfectly. It's about time we do that for the Lord's glory.
