God’s Remnant

Webster defines “remnant”, as “that which remains of anything, left over after the last cutting, a small piece or quantity to stay or remain”.  God spared Noah and his family as a remnant.  God spared Lot and his family as a remnant.  Paul reminds us in Romans 9:27 that God saves the society through the remnant.

In his book, “Marriage, From Surviving to Thriving”, Chuck Swindoll asks if we have a remnant marriage.  Can it be that God could and might use your marriage to save our society from the destructive disintegration we see around us?  In first Peter 3:15, we are reminded to…

‘…sanctify Christ in you as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.’

Do we want to live that verse out in our daily actions as our marriage reflects the holy status given marriage by God in the book of Genesis?  Then what does a godly biblical marriage look like to the world?  I’d suggest a valid comparison between the dance style of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and what often takes place on the dance floors today.  (If you haven’t seen Fred and Ginger dance, a great date night event would be to have dinner at Oregano’s and taking part of that time together to watch their TV monitors, and discuss what you see.) Fred and Ginger worked hard and diligently to perfect their dances, and they moved with a unity that is inspiring as it is delightful.  Our marriages with hard work can be far more inspiring and delightful, and as God’s remnant, we can pray that He may choose to use us to turn the trend in marriage breakdown.  This is the essence of true lifestyle evangelism.

Some may ask what such a marriage looks like to those in the world.  Chuck Swindoll suggests four traits of a remnant marriag taken from Genesis 2:24.

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.  “

Severance – Choosing our spouse above all others, including our family of origin, such that others can see our preference.

Permanence – Letting others observe by not only by our word and tongue, but in deed and truth.  (see 1 John 3:18), that we’re committed to one another through thick and thin – for life.

Unity – Just as Fred and Ginger dance, so must.  and can.  our marriage become unified.  It is done in common things worked out in that hard work above, revealing itself in such things as shared values and goals.  In Chuck Swindoll’s words….”unity is diversity brought into harmony.”

Intimacy – Chuck describes this as much more than the physical bond of marriage.  He reminds us that it is “exclusive knowledge of each other”, with “no barriers” and the joy in sharing the common things and encouraging and championing those areas of difference.

God has chosen each of us before the creation of the universe, and has given us to the world to be His salt and light of Christ’s love.  With the hard work and diligent effort on our part, He can use us to influence others who have a sallowed view of marriage.

Keep in mind that because sin has ruined it all, EVERY marriage has its struggles.  It’s good to remember that regardless of the past, we can choose to do the right thing before God.  It’s always acceptable to ask your spouse to give you safety in your sharing – and to be courageous and vulnerable with each other.  The goal is to understand and appreciate the shared moments, silences, trials, heartbreaks, grief, goals, differences and joys.  Swindoll says we’re “not a melting of two personalities to form one, but two individuals living and working in concert with common values and shared goals.”

Marriage can be the most wonderful relationship on earth, and has been since the beginning in spite of sin – may yours be all that God designed it to be, and may it be heavenly seasoned salt and light to those around you.