In today's Marital Moment, I will continue on with the topic of "How To Have A Happy Home". You will recall that I said that a happy home has four important ingredients: Leadership, Involvement, Security, and Relationships In The Home. This lesson will focus on Security In The Home. Ephesians 5:31 states, "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh". In this verse I find that there must be Security In The Permanence of Marriage. The word "joined" in verse 31 means to glue or to be permanent. You will recall that Ephesians 5:31 is taken from Genesis 2:24 and it is also stated in Matthew 19:5. God determined in the Garden of Eden that the husband and wife should remain together forever. To be "glued" together for life. In other words, God intended that marriage be permanent. God stated it in Genesis, restated it in Matthew's gospel, and reaffirmed it again in Ephesians 5:31. All throughout time God has indicated again and again that marriage is to be a permanent relationship of the husband and wife. God goes so far as to state in Malachi 2:16 that He hates divorce. Now there is security in the permanence of marriage. The partners know that they will always be there for each other and that they are faithful, committed, trustworthy, and consistent. They also realize that divorce is neither threatened nor carried out. Therefore, the husband leaves home each day knowing and trusting that his wife will be there when he comes home. His relationship with her is such that he can apply Proverbs 31:10-12 to his dear wife. There the Bible states that, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life". The wife also needs the "awesome security" of knowing that her husband is coming home and that he will always be there for her. Not only should there be security in the permanence of marriage, but there must also be Security In The Permanence of Parents. The children are tremendously blessed when both mother and father are permanently secure in their marriage. The children have no fear of their parents divorcing. Mom and dad will always be there with them and for them. They will be there when they come home from school, from play, or from staying with their friends. What indescribable comfort that brings to a child to know that his parents will always be there for him. One of the great fears a child has today is that their home will be broken by divorce and the family scattered from one place to the other. The children are often forced to chose which parent they are going to go with when the home disintegrates. Give your children a great gift: the gift of a stable home that comes from a stable marriage. Not only must mother and father remain together, but they must also provide a home that is free from fussing and fighting. Screaming and shouting in the home rips the heart out of your children. They don't understand it and they are traumatized by the constant attacks and battles of their parents. If you must fight like dogs in the home at least have the kindness to get a baby sitter for your children so that you do not permanently scar them by your repeated arguments. You are doing great damage to your kids when you are constantly fighting in front of them. The home desperately needs the committed permanence of both the parents and the marriage. Remember, there is Security In The Permanence of Marriage.
