{"id":304484,"date":"2017-05-01T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-05-01T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/why-does-marriage-matter\/"},"modified":"2017-05-01T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2017-05-01T15:00:00","slug":"why-does-marriage-matter","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/why-does-marriage-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Does Marriage Matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ray Ortlund explains how his eyes were opened anew as he began to study Genesis 1-2 and answer the question, &#8220;Why does marriage matter?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2017-05-01.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:26:44","filesize":"24.48M","filesize_raw":"25670244","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2805,2862],"tags":[6240,5933,2877,6239],"podcast_series":[8206],"cwp_profile":[9452],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-304484","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gods-plan-for-marriage","category-understanding-differences","tag-genesis","tag-male-and-female","tag-marriage","tag-mystery-of-the-gospel","podcast_series-marriage-the-mystery-of-the-gospel","cwp_profile-ray-ortlund","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/304484\/why-does-marriage-matter","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/304484\/why-does-marriage-matter","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"9hcOQDP55a\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/why-does-marriage-matter\/\">Why Does Marriage Matter?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/why-does-marriage-matter\/embed\/#?secret=9hcOQDP55a\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Why Does Marriage Matter?&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"9hcOQDP55a\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"spectra_custom_meta":{"_wp_page_template":["default"],"transcript_url":["https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2017-05-01.pdf"],"audio_file":["https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2017-05-01.mp3"],"transcript_content":["<strong>Bob: <\/strong>The gift of marriage is one of the good gifts that God has given to His children; and the gift is just as good as it was when it was first given, even though the people receiving the gift have messed up in the meantime. Here\u2019s Ray Ortlund.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray: <\/strong>My marriage with Jani is just as amazing, and just as divine, and just as God-given as was the marriage of Adam and Eve so long ago. The fact that so much time has elapsed \/ the fact that we do not have a perfect marriage\u2014and we have misfires with one another and we become short with one another\u2014changes nothing. This is of God. We\u2019ve been caught up into something that is <em>amazing<\/em>! It\u2019s a demonstration of God\u2019s grace.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Monday, May 1<sup>st<\/sup>. Our host is the President of FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, Dennis Rainey, and I\u2019m Bob Lepine. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>1:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe more we understand about the good gift God has given us in marriage and the goodness of God Himself, the more we can enjoy the <em>benefits<\/em> of that gift. We\u2019ll talk more about that today. Stay with us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. Thanks for joining us. I knew that we had a good theological mind coming to be with us today. I just did not know that you and he would have a love for deer hunting. I did not realize this was going to be part of the equation. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>It was a harmonic convergence [Laughter] before we came into the studio. Yes; he\u2019s a kindred-spirit hunter. We\u2019ll convert you, Bob. We\u2019ll bring you over to the\u2014we\u2019ll bring over to the dark side here. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Okay. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes; Ray Ortlund joins us on the broadcast from Nashville, Tennessee. Welcome, across the river, to Arkansas, Ray.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> It\u2019s a privilege to be here. Thanks.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> In case our listeners don\u2019t know that name, Ray Ortlund\u2014he is the pastor of Immanuel Church in Nashville, Tennessee\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>2:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014also serves on the council of the Gospel Coalition. He and his wife have been married for 45\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> \u201445 years.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u201445 years.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And some people may be going, \u201cI have heard that name, but it was <em>years<\/em> ago that I heard that name.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Your dad and your mom\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Let me just interrupt you there, Bob,\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Okay; alright.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u2014because I\u2019ve got a little special way to introduce Ray that I was just thinking about doing here.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tRay, the year was 1978\u2014maybe the spring of \u201979 \u2014the timeframe there. FamilyLife had been birthed as a part of Campus Crusade for Christ<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>. I found myself, at the ripe old age of 30, being the Director of a Marriage Preparation and Family Emphasis within Campus Crusade for Christ. There was a bit of a crisis that occurred.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>3:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSome of the leadership of the parent organization, Campus Crusade for Christ, felt like they needed to go after someone who was a little older and a little more mature. I just need to tell you, at the outset of this broadcast, I owe you and your family a debt of gratitude;\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Oh.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u2014because Bill Bright flew three couples in to meet with him over a period of several weeks, and one of them was your dad.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Wow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> He was offered the job of being the Director of the Marriage Preparation and Family Emphasis of Campus Crusade for Christ; and he said, \u201cNo.\u201d After two other couples said, \u201cNo,\u201d\u2014 one of them said, \u201cNo,\u201d twice\u2014they couldn\u2019t find anybody else to head this thing up. [Laughter] This is a true story.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBy the way, I\u2019ve said it for years: \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have selected me either\u201d; [Laughter] but I was already doing it. That was kind of what was irritating\u2014was they didn\u2019t know I was already the Director; okay? [Laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>4:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut they finally came to Barbara and me and said, \u201cWould you like to be the Director of this ministry?\u201d I said, \u201cYes,\u201d and that was 1979. I just owe your family a debt of gratitude that your dad said, \u201cNo.\u201d [Laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Well, God obviously put the right man in this place.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> It affected the trajectory of my career and what God has done here. It has been quite a ride! But did you know your dad was offered that job?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> I did not know. Did you ever meet my dad?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> I did not. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Oh, my goodness! He was the greatest man I\u2019ve ever known. He was the living embodiment of what Jesus would look like today. I have <em>so much<\/em> respect for my dad. I can see why Dr. Bright would consider him for that position. They had a great marriage\u2014it was not perfect\u2014but it was solid \/ there was a real beauty about it. But I\u2019m glad you\u2019re here doing this. This is great!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And I just have to say\u2014I remember reading books that your mom and dad had written, in the \u201870s and in the \u201880s; and I heard your dad for the first time on radio\u2014he was the host of the <em>Haven of Rest<\/em> program for a number of years\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>5:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> \u2014and [pastor of] Lake Avenue Congregational Church in Pasadena, California, a well-known Southern California church. You have a heritage that you can be proud of; don\u2019t you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Oh, I\u2019m so deeply grateful! I think God wasted my dad on me. I just didn\u2019t deserve a dad like that\u2014he was great! Now, our own kids love the Lord; and we\u2019re <em>profoundly<\/em> thankful. We feel my dad\u2019s influence to this day, flowing through the family.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And I\u2019m not surprised you\u2019ve written this book, <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel<\/em>, because of the heritage you\u2019ve been given. Why don\u2019t we just start, Ray, by talking about why revisiting the narrative in Genesis is so important\u2014to kind of go back and see what God was thinking \/ what He was up to when He created marriage in the first place.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes; you know, when I began to study in order to write this book, <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel, <\/em>my eyes were opened! I saw something in the Bible I\u2019d never seen before. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>6:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGenesis 1 and 2\u2014the first two chapters of the Bible\u2014there is the creation of the universe in Chapter 1, and then, fast-forward immediately to a wedding ceremony. If I\u2019d never read the Bible before, I read Chapter 1, and everything is massive and cosmic and dramatic; and God\u2019s creating everything. And then, if I don\u2019t know what\u2019s coming, I would turn the page to Chapter 2 and I\u2019m thinking: \u201cWhat will the sequel be? This is going to be even <em>more<\/em> amazing!\u201d And, instead, we zoom in on this little garden somewhere, and a young man and a young woman are falling in love and getting married.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think: \u201cWait a minute! How does that make sense? Is marriage out of its depth at this place in the story?\u201d So that\u2019s how it begins. So the Bible kind of raises a question, right from the beginning: \u201cWhy does marriage matter? Is it really that big of a deal?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFast-forward to the <em>end<\/em> of the Bible\u2014the last two chapters\u2014we\u2019re in a new heavens and a new earth; a new creation with the Son of God taking His bride on His arm into the eternal honeymoon. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>7:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd I realize\u2014for crying out loud!\u2014the wrap-around category for the whole biblical message is marriage!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> It\u2019s not like, you know, there are a few passages along the way where marriage is discussed\u2014it\u2019s really <em>the <\/em>story. The Bible is a <em>love story<\/em>\u2014the Son of God seeking out His bride for Himself. And He came to the wrong side of town to find her too\u2014I\u2019m really grateful for that!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes; you\u2019ve got a quote in your book, where you quote Augustine, where he says, \u201cAll of the story of the Scriptures is the story of two cities formed by two loves.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Would you unpack that quote?\u2014because it kind of, in a way, puts in context what God was up to in Genesis, Chapters 1, 2, and 3.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> We look at one another\u2014we look at the world today\u2014and we think the differences are political \/ we think the differences are cultural, and lifestyle choices, and so forth. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>8:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut way down deep\u2014underneath all those surface-level things\u2014are really only two kinds of people in this world. There are people who <em>love<\/em> this world and everything that belongs to this world\u2014and we\u2019re all born that way\u2014and there are people whose hearts have been set free to look above and see God with new eyes. They\u2019ve come to realize, through the gospel, that God is not eager to bring the hammer down on them in judgment. God wants to sweep them up into His arms and just love sinners forever through Christ.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThese two loves define who we are. The Bible is not a message of \u201cDo better,\u201d \u201cTry harder.\u201d The Bible is God saying to us, \u201cI loved you, but I lost you; and I want you back.\u201d Our hearts resonate with that; and we say, \u201cYes, Lord!\u201d Then, we\u2019re part of that bride forever!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>9:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> I want you to check me on this, because I had this thought as I was looking at Genesis 2 at one point. I don\u2019t know that I\u2019ve heard anybody say it\u2014so I wonder if the thought is right. Here, in each day of creation, you see things getting bigger and grander and God is\u2014every day is good. Then we come to the creation of the man and then the creation of the woman. I had always thought: \u201cYou get to the creation of the woman, and creation is complete. The <em>last<\/em> thing has been created.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut there are four or five more verses that say He took the two and made them one. So it occurs to me that maybe the <em>last<\/em> thing created is the oneness of a married couple\u2014that now, the very <em>next<\/em> thing that happens is\u2014a serpent comes along and attempts to undo what God has done.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes; boy, that\u2019s really interesting, Bob. I hadn\u2019t thought of it that way. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>10:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBecause I look at these two chapters\u2014Genesis 1 and 2\u2014and I notice, as you point out, throughout Chapter 1, when God is creating everything, He says, \u201cThis is good,\u201d \u201cThat is good.\u201d And at the very end\u2014seven times, he says, \u201cIt is good.\u201d The last one is: \u201cEverything God saw that He had made was very good.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThen, we come to Chapter 2; we\u2019re in the Garden of Eden, guys. Everything is perfect! There is no evil in the world at all\u2014there\u2019s no death \/ it\u2019s the ideal world\u2014the Garden of Eden. And God says, \u201cIt is <em>not good <\/em>that the man is alone.\u201d Now, here\u2014the Garden of Eden\u2014God puts His finger on something and says: \u201cThere is something wrong here. The man is alone.\u201d I think of it this way: \u201cEvery guy needs adult supervision.\u201d [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes!!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> So God created the woman to be the wife. We\u2019re so grateful.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And we think of Garden of Eden in kind of our Sunday school pictures of\u2014you know, there\u2019s a lion over here; and there\u2019s a fruit tree over here. I tend to contextualize that and think to myself: \u201cImagine being at the nicest resort you\u2019ve ever been to\u2014\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>11:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014\u201cI mean, where you\u2019ve got everything you need; but you\u2019re there alone.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> \u201cThere\u2019s no joy there, unless you\u2019ve got companionship and relationship.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> That is so insightful. Jani and I live in Franklin, Tennessee. It\u2019s a lovely town, and we have a lovely home\u2014it\u2019s not palatial, but it\u2019s really nice. When she\u2019s out of town, that home is <em>depressing<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> I walk around and just kind of blue, and bored, and unsettled.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Now, some folks are listening\u2014some single listeners are listening to this\u2014and they\u2019re saying, \u201cYou\u2019re making it sound like the pinnacle of life is marriage.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> My goodness; yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> So what do you say to a single person?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes; that is a <em>really <\/em>good point. Thank you for bringing that up, because the reason why the Bible talks about marriage is not for the sake of marriage. We go to Ephesians, Chapter 5, for example\u2014and the Apostle Paul, talking about human marriage, a man and a woman\u2014says, \u201cThis is a great mystery, but I\u2019m saying it refers to Christ and the church.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>12:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, guys, I\u2019ve been married for 45 years. I\u2019ve introduced Jani as my wife hundreds of times, I\u2019m sure. I\u2019ve said, you know, \u201cHi, I\u2019m Ray; and this is my wife Jani.\u201d Nobody has ever said: \u201cNo way! That is a profound mystery! You guys are married? That\u2019s amazing!\u201d Marriage is so common! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut what the Bible reveals is something, guys, I wouldn\u2019t <em>dare<\/em> to believe if it weren\u2019t in the Bible; and that is: \u201cWhy are we in this dual modality of male and female? Why do we fall in love? Why do we experience romance? Why do we get married?\u201d I mean, falling in love is kind of like temporary insanity. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> God sort of sprinkles His pixie dust on us; and we go crazy enough to make the commitment of marriage that we would never dare to make without being thrust into it by this wonderful, dizzy experience of romance. But there\u2019s a <em>reason<\/em> why people fall in love\u2014there\u2019s a <em>reason<\/em> why we walk, hand in hand \/ there\u2019s a <em>reason<\/em> why we sing \u201cour song\u201d and so forth. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>13:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe <em>reason<\/em> is\u2014that is how Jesus Christ comes to us!\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> \u2014to catch us up into His love \/ His redemptive love. Guys, He came across the tracks to find us!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> When I chose Jani, I chose her because she was <em>beautiful<\/em>\u2014she is beautiful! Jesus Christ did not choose a beauty queen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> \u201cWhile we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> While we were still in rebellion against Him, He offers Himself for us. That is\u2014talk about a profound mystery.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> And that\u2019s why we get married, because God wants\u2014there are going to be people all over the world who will <em>never<\/em> darken the door of a church \/ they\u2019ll <em>never<\/em> hear the gospel\u2014but they can <em>see<\/em> the gospel in a marriage.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> That is why Satan hates marriage. It has the aroma of Christ and His gospel all over it. So we are living, walking, breathing metaphors of this <em>great<\/em> reality. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>14:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGod created the heavens and the earth, in Genesis 1, to be the honeymoon suite for Adam and Eve. God will recreate the heavens and the earth, at the end of time, to be the eternal honeymoon suite for the Son of God and His bride\u2014and that\u2019s us\u2014amazing!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> We\u2019re talking with Ray Ortlund\u2014he has written a book called <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel. <\/em>What you\u2019re talking about here, Ray, is\u2014you are lifting marriage out of this pool of humanity that has sung the song of: \u201cMarriage is for your happiness. It\u2019s for your own satisfaction.\u201d Certainly, as we\u2019ve talked about, there is the companionship, and the happiness, and the satisfaction there; but you\u2019re saying marriage and family are about much more than just two human beings getting their needs met from one another. It\u2019s about something far bigger \/ far grander than any two people could ever imagine.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>15:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And once you get the picture of what\u2019s at stake in your marriage, it will lift you out of this temporal view that people have of marriage today. It will fuel your fire for making sure your marriage is all that God designed it to be.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Boy, I really believe that, Dennis. It dignifies our marriages. Jesus, in Matthew, Chapter 19, explains that every marriage in the world today is as sacred in the sight of God, as was the marriage of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. My marriage with Jani is just as amazing, and just as divine, and just as God-given as was the marriage of Adam and Eve so long ago. The fact that so much time has elapsed \/ the fact that we do not have a perfect marriage\u2014and we have misfires with one another and we become short with one another\u2014changes nothing. This is of God. We\u2019ve been caught up into something that is <em>amazing<\/em>! It\u2019s a demonstration of God\u2019s grace.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>16:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI never dreamed that one of God\u2019s <em>primary<\/em> influences in my life for sanctification would be this gorgeous woman I get to live with. That\u2019s a sanctification I can get behind! [Laughter] You know what I\u2019m talking about?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes! It\u2019s in the fine print, though! [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHow did this fine woman come across your path?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Oh, my goodness. It was September 12, 1968, on the campus of Wheaton College at 5:00 p.m. I was walking from Fisher Hall to the Dining Hall, and I saw a freshman guy I had just met a few days before. I wanted to go say \u201cHi!\u201d to him on the way to dinner. When I got there, there was a girl standing there\u2014he introduced her. Then, several weeks later, I found out, through the grapevine\u2014she had integrity; she had standards; she had character. I thought, \u201cI have got to ask her out!\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAbout a month later, I <em>finally<\/em> worked up the courage to ask her out. I took her to a concert on the campus of Wheaton College\u2014the Chad Mitchell Trio\u2014in October of 1968. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Wow!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>17:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> We just started falling <em>crazy<\/em> in love! We had so much fun falling in love.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> So, how long before you popped the question?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> It was about two years, and I wanted to arrange things \/ time things in such a way that we could both graduate from college before we got married. I really wanted to reach that goal. We managed it by God\u2019s grace. We got married December 18, 1971.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> How did you ask her to marry you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> There was a little chapel in\u2014we called it \u201cThe Stu\u201d\u2014the Student Center, there at the college\u2014a little chapel. I went there with her; we had just walked home from Sunday evening church. I said, \u201cJani, would you marry me?\u201d She said, \u201cI need to think about it.\u201d [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> That\u2019s when you learned what kind of standards she really had; right? [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> So how long did she think?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> About twenty minutes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Oh, okay! [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> So I left her alone there. She actually got down on her knees and prayed about it. She got up from her knees, and she said\u2014I came back later\u2014she said, \u201cYes!\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>18:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Did that intimidate you?\u2014the pause?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> It was unsettling; yes! But, on the other hand, I knew that if she were going to make this a matter\u2014you know, put this before God\u2014then whatever decision she made would stick! And Jani has been an <em>incredibly<\/em> patient wife. We honestly love each other more than we ever did before. When we were\u2014when I look back on those early years of marriage now, I think, \u201cDid I really love her, or was I just predatory?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Tell the truth! [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> You know, we think about it\u2014and you\u2019ve made a great case today for what the picture of what marriage is and ought to be in the culture\u2014I\u2019ve often thought about how important it is for our kids, as we raise them, to know there\u2019s security and stability in the home; because they see mom and dad loving each other. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>19:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut, even beyond that, our kids\u2014for them to really understand the gospel when we come to articulate it \/ to articulate that in an environment, where there is a strong, stable marriage\u2014that lends a credibility to the message of who God is in a mysterious way that I don\u2019t know that we could put our finger on it when somebody told us. But we <em>know<\/em> <em>it<\/em>, environmentally, that the gospel can be true because of what we\u2019ve <em>experienced<\/em>, environmentally, with a mom and a dad who love each other.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> That is very real. I grew up in that kind of home. Again, it was not a perfect home; but Jesus was present, and I <em>knew<\/em> that because my dad and mom <em>embodied<\/em> what they talked about. There was an authenticity about it. My dad was honest about his shortcomings\u2014he wasn\u2019t faking it. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFor example, I remember one time\u2014my dad felt that he had disciplined me too severely. I was maybe ten or twelve. I didn\u2019t think he\u2019d disciplined me too severely, but he did. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>20:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd he came back to me, maybe an hour later, and apologized. I thought: \u201cWait a minute, Dad. I\u2019m the kid; you\u2019re the dad. You don\u2019t need to apologize to me.\u201d But he felt that he did, and he asked me to forgive him. My goodness! How can I not love and respect a dad like that?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And then you hear the gospel message on top of that, and you go, \u201cThis is true, because I see how it plays out in someone\u2019s life.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u201cThis makes sense in my reality.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> That\u2019s what kids need to see today.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes; it wasn\u2019t hypothetical.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes; and here\u2019s what the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5, verse 31\u2014it says: \u201cTherefore, a man shall leave his father and mother, and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound. I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.\u201d Marriage has a <em>profound<\/em> spiritual mission. It is to reflect God\u2019s love\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>21:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u2014for His redeemed bride, whom the Son of God died for\u2014the church.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And I think listeners will benefit from digging deeper than they may have dug when it comes to their understanding of God\u2019s purpose for marriage \/ His design for marriage. Ray has written a book called <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel. <\/em>It\u2019s not a long book, but it\u2019s a deep book that offers terrific insight into God\u2019s purpose for our marriage, helping us understand why we were given this gift in the first place and how it can be the best gift it can possibly be.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe have copies of <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel<\/em> in our <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> Resource Center. You can go online at FamilyLifeToday.com to order your copy. Again, the website is FamilyLifeToday.com. Or call 1-800-FL-TODAY; that\u2019s 1-800-358-6329. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>22:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tTo order your copy of the book, <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel<\/em>, call: 1-800-\u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life, and then the word, \u201cTODAY.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, here at FamilyLife, we have just recently been looking at the projects that we have underway here\u2014a number of them like\u2014we\u2019re working on a new video series called <em>The Art of Parenting<\/em>. We are working on some redesigning of the <em>Weekend to Remember<\/em><sup>\u00ae<\/sup>. We\u2019re trying to upgrade and enhance our website and our digital platform. We\u2019ve recognized that, if we\u2019re going to stay on track to accomplish these projects, then, during the month of May, we\u2019re going to have to ask our listeners to pitch in and provide some help. We have a goal of needing to raise, this month, $1.1 million. That\u2019s obviously a significant goal to try to raise in a single month.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>23:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe good news is we have lots of listeners. If each listener would pitch in a little bit, that goal could be easily met. Let me offer you a little extra incentive to pitch-in early. We\u2019ve had some friends of the ministry, who have agreed that the first $150,000 that we can raise toward that goal, they\u2019ll match it with a $150,000 gift of their own. Can we ask you to, today, go to our website and give a one-time gift in support of this ministry? You can do that easily, online, at FamilyLifeToday.com; or you can call to make your donation over the phone at 1-800-FL-TODAY; or you can mail your donation to us. Our address is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> at PO Box 7111, Little Rock, AR; and our zip is 72223. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>24:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPlease also pray for us this month\u2014that we\u2019ll be able to meet that $1.1 million goal and that the projects that are underway can keep going through the summer months, because the funding needed for them is available. Thanks, in advance, for your prayers and for your support.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, tomorrow, we\u2019re going to continue to explore God\u2019s good design for marriage and see how He intends for us to bless and to minister to one another in our marriage relationship. I hope you can be with us for that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, along with our entire broadcast production team. On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I'm Bob Lepine. We\u2019ll see you back tomorrow for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas; a Cru<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> ministry. Help for today. Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2017 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>"],"_seopress_titles_title":[""],"_seopress_titles_desc":[""],"_seopress_robots_index":[""],"duration":["00:26:44"],"show_notes":[""],"_thumbnail_id":["294104"],"filesize":["24.48M"],"filesize_raw":["25670244"],"_uag_css_file_name":["uag-css-304484.css"],"_uag_js_file_name":["uag-js-304484.js"],"_uag_page_assets":["a:9:{s:3:\"css\";s:82560:\".wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-e11dbe9f .uagb-container__shape-top svg{width: calc( 100% + 1.3px );}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-e11dbe9f .uagb-container__shape.uagb-container__shape-top .uagb-container__shape-fill{fill: rgba(51,51,51,1);}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-e11dbe9f .uagb-container__shape-bottom svg{width: calc( 100% + 1.3px );}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-e11dbe9f .uagb-container__shape.uagb-container__shape-bottom 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Ortlund explains how his eyes were opened anew as he began to study Genesis 1-2 and answer the question, \"Why does marriage matter?","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2017-05-01.pdf","transcript_content":"<strong>Bob: <\/strong>The gift of marriage is one of the good gifts that God has given to His children; and the gift is just as good as it was when it was first given, even though the people receiving the gift have messed up in the meantime. Here\u2019s Ray Ortlund.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray: <\/strong>My marriage with Jani is just as amazing, and just as divine, and just as God-given as was the marriage of Adam and Eve so long ago. The fact that so much time has elapsed \/ the fact that we do not have a perfect marriage\u2014and we have misfires with one another and we become short with one another\u2014changes nothing. This is of God. We\u2019ve been caught up into something that is <em>amazing<\/em>! It\u2019s a demonstration of God\u2019s grace.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Monday, May 1<sup>st<\/sup>. Our host is the President of FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, Dennis Rainey, and I\u2019m Bob Lepine. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>1:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe more we understand about the good gift God has given us in marriage and the goodness of God Himself, the more we can enjoy the <em>benefits<\/em> of that gift. We\u2019ll talk more about that today. Stay with us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. Thanks for joining us. I knew that we had a good theological mind coming to be with us today. I just did not know that you and he would have a love for deer hunting. I did not realize this was going to be part of the equation. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>It was a harmonic convergence [Laughter] before we came into the studio. Yes; he\u2019s a kindred-spirit hunter. We\u2019ll convert you, Bob. We\u2019ll bring you over to the\u2014we\u2019ll bring over to the dark side here. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Okay. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes; Ray Ortlund joins us on the broadcast from Nashville, Tennessee. Welcome, across the river, to Arkansas, Ray.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> It\u2019s a privilege to be here. Thanks.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> In case our listeners don\u2019t know that name, Ray Ortlund\u2014he is the pastor of Immanuel Church in Nashville, Tennessee\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>2:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014also serves on the council of the Gospel Coalition. He and his wife have been married for 45\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> \u201445 years.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u201445 years.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And some people may be going, \u201cI have heard that name, but it was <em>years<\/em> ago that I heard that name.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Your dad and your mom\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Let me just interrupt you there, Bob,\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Okay; alright.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u2014because I\u2019ve got a little special way to introduce Ray that I was just thinking about doing here.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tRay, the year was 1978\u2014maybe the spring of \u201979 \u2014the timeframe there. FamilyLife had been birthed as a part of Campus Crusade for Christ<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>. I found myself, at the ripe old age of 30, being the Director of a Marriage Preparation and Family Emphasis within Campus Crusade for Christ. There was a bit of a crisis that occurred.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>3:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSome of the leadership of the parent organization, Campus Crusade for Christ, felt like they needed to go after someone who was a little older and a little more mature. I just need to tell you, at the outset of this broadcast, I owe you and your family a debt of gratitude;\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Oh.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u2014because Bill Bright flew three couples in to meet with him over a period of several weeks, and one of them was your dad.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Wow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> He was offered the job of being the Director of the Marriage Preparation and Family Emphasis of Campus Crusade for Christ; and he said, \u201cNo.\u201d After two other couples said, \u201cNo,\u201d\u2014 one of them said, \u201cNo,\u201d twice\u2014they couldn\u2019t find anybody else to head this thing up. [Laughter] This is a true story.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBy the way, I\u2019ve said it for years: \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have selected me either\u201d; [Laughter] but I was already doing it. That was kind of what was irritating\u2014was they didn\u2019t know I was already the Director; okay? [Laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>4:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut they finally came to Barbara and me and said, \u201cWould you like to be the Director of this ministry?\u201d I said, \u201cYes,\u201d and that was 1979. I just owe your family a debt of gratitude that your dad said, \u201cNo.\u201d [Laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Well, God obviously put the right man in this place.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> It affected the trajectory of my career and what God has done here. It has been quite a ride! But did you know your dad was offered that job?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> I did not know. Did you ever meet my dad?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> I did not. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Oh, my goodness! He was the greatest man I\u2019ve ever known. He was the living embodiment of what Jesus would look like today. I have <em>so much<\/em> respect for my dad. I can see why Dr. Bright would consider him for that position. They had a great marriage\u2014it was not perfect\u2014but it was solid \/ there was a real beauty about it. But I\u2019m glad you\u2019re here doing this. This is great!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And I just have to say\u2014I remember reading books that your mom and dad had written, in the \u201870s and in the \u201880s; and I heard your dad for the first time on radio\u2014he was the host of the <em>Haven of Rest<\/em> program for a number of years\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>5:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> \u2014and [pastor of] Lake Avenue Congregational Church in Pasadena, California, a well-known Southern California church. You have a heritage that you can be proud of; don\u2019t you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Oh, I\u2019m so deeply grateful! I think God wasted my dad on me. I just didn\u2019t deserve a dad like that\u2014he was great! Now, our own kids love the Lord; and we\u2019re <em>profoundly<\/em> thankful. We feel my dad\u2019s influence to this day, flowing through the family.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And I\u2019m not surprised you\u2019ve written this book, <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel<\/em>, because of the heritage you\u2019ve been given. Why don\u2019t we just start, Ray, by talking about why revisiting the narrative in Genesis is so important\u2014to kind of go back and see what God was thinking \/ what He was up to when He created marriage in the first place.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes; you know, when I began to study in order to write this book, <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel, <\/em>my eyes were opened! I saw something in the Bible I\u2019d never seen before. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>6:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGenesis 1 and 2\u2014the first two chapters of the Bible\u2014there is the creation of the universe in Chapter 1, and then, fast-forward immediately to a wedding ceremony. If I\u2019d never read the Bible before, I read Chapter 1, and everything is massive and cosmic and dramatic; and God\u2019s creating everything. And then, if I don\u2019t know what\u2019s coming, I would turn the page to Chapter 2 and I\u2019m thinking: \u201cWhat will the sequel be? This is going to be even <em>more<\/em> amazing!\u201d And, instead, we zoom in on this little garden somewhere, and a young man and a young woman are falling in love and getting married.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think: \u201cWait a minute! How does that make sense? Is marriage out of its depth at this place in the story?\u201d So that\u2019s how it begins. So the Bible kind of raises a question, right from the beginning: \u201cWhy does marriage matter? Is it really that big of a deal?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFast-forward to the <em>end<\/em> of the Bible\u2014the last two chapters\u2014we\u2019re in a new heavens and a new earth; a new creation with the Son of God taking His bride on His arm into the eternal honeymoon. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>7:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd I realize\u2014for crying out loud!\u2014the wrap-around category for the whole biblical message is marriage!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> It\u2019s not like, you know, there are a few passages along the way where marriage is discussed\u2014it\u2019s really <em>the <\/em>story. The Bible is a <em>love story<\/em>\u2014the Son of God seeking out His bride for Himself. And He came to the wrong side of town to find her too\u2014I\u2019m really grateful for that!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes; you\u2019ve got a quote in your book, where you quote Augustine, where he says, \u201cAll of the story of the Scriptures is the story of two cities formed by two loves.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Would you unpack that quote?\u2014because it kind of, in a way, puts in context what God was up to in Genesis, Chapters 1, 2, and 3.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> We look at one another\u2014we look at the world today\u2014and we think the differences are political \/ we think the differences are cultural, and lifestyle choices, and so forth. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>8:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut way down deep\u2014underneath all those surface-level things\u2014are really only two kinds of people in this world. There are people who <em>love<\/em> this world and everything that belongs to this world\u2014and we\u2019re all born that way\u2014and there are people whose hearts have been set free to look above and see God with new eyes. They\u2019ve come to realize, through the gospel, that God is not eager to bring the hammer down on them in judgment. God wants to sweep them up into His arms and just love sinners forever through Christ.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThese two loves define who we are. The Bible is not a message of \u201cDo better,\u201d \u201cTry harder.\u201d The Bible is God saying to us, \u201cI loved you, but I lost you; and I want you back.\u201d Our hearts resonate with that; and we say, \u201cYes, Lord!\u201d Then, we\u2019re part of that bride forever!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>9:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> I want you to check me on this, because I had this thought as I was looking at Genesis 2 at one point. I don\u2019t know that I\u2019ve heard anybody say it\u2014so I wonder if the thought is right. Here, in each day of creation, you see things getting bigger and grander and God is\u2014every day is good. Then we come to the creation of the man and then the creation of the woman. I had always thought: \u201cYou get to the creation of the woman, and creation is complete. The <em>last<\/em> thing has been created.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut there are four or five more verses that say He took the two and made them one. So it occurs to me that maybe the <em>last<\/em> thing created is the oneness of a married couple\u2014that now, the very <em>next<\/em> thing that happens is\u2014a serpent comes along and attempts to undo what God has done.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes; boy, that\u2019s really interesting, Bob. I hadn\u2019t thought of it that way. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>10:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBecause I look at these two chapters\u2014Genesis 1 and 2\u2014and I notice, as you point out, throughout Chapter 1, when God is creating everything, He says, \u201cThis is good,\u201d \u201cThat is good.\u201d And at the very end\u2014seven times, he says, \u201cIt is good.\u201d The last one is: \u201cEverything God saw that He had made was very good.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThen, we come to Chapter 2; we\u2019re in the Garden of Eden, guys. Everything is perfect! There is no evil in the world at all\u2014there\u2019s no death \/ it\u2019s the ideal world\u2014the Garden of Eden. And God says, \u201cIt is <em>not good <\/em>that the man is alone.\u201d Now, here\u2014the Garden of Eden\u2014God puts His finger on something and says: \u201cThere is something wrong here. The man is alone.\u201d I think of it this way: \u201cEvery guy needs adult supervision.\u201d [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes!!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> So God created the woman to be the wife. We\u2019re so grateful.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And we think of Garden of Eden in kind of our Sunday school pictures of\u2014you know, there\u2019s a lion over here; and there\u2019s a fruit tree over here. I tend to contextualize that and think to myself: \u201cImagine being at the nicest resort you\u2019ve ever been to\u2014\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>11:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014\u201cI mean, where you\u2019ve got everything you need; but you\u2019re there alone.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> \u201cThere\u2019s no joy there, unless you\u2019ve got companionship and relationship.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> That is so insightful. Jani and I live in Franklin, Tennessee. It\u2019s a lovely town, and we have a lovely home\u2014it\u2019s not palatial, but it\u2019s really nice. When she\u2019s out of town, that home is <em>depressing<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> I walk around and just kind of blue, and bored, and unsettled.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Now, some folks are listening\u2014some single listeners are listening to this\u2014and they\u2019re saying, \u201cYou\u2019re making it sound like the pinnacle of life is marriage.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> My goodness; yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> So what do you say to a single person?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes; that is a <em>really <\/em>good point. Thank you for bringing that up, because the reason why the Bible talks about marriage is not for the sake of marriage. We go to Ephesians, Chapter 5, for example\u2014and the Apostle Paul, talking about human marriage, a man and a woman\u2014says, \u201cThis is a great mystery, but I\u2019m saying it refers to Christ and the church.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>12:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, guys, I\u2019ve been married for 45 years. I\u2019ve introduced Jani as my wife hundreds of times, I\u2019m sure. I\u2019ve said, you know, \u201cHi, I\u2019m Ray; and this is my wife Jani.\u201d Nobody has ever said: \u201cNo way! That is a profound mystery! You guys are married? That\u2019s amazing!\u201d Marriage is so common! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut what the Bible reveals is something, guys, I wouldn\u2019t <em>dare<\/em> to believe if it weren\u2019t in the Bible; and that is: \u201cWhy are we in this dual modality of male and female? Why do we fall in love? Why do we experience romance? Why do we get married?\u201d I mean, falling in love is kind of like temporary insanity. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> God sort of sprinkles His pixie dust on us; and we go crazy enough to make the commitment of marriage that we would never dare to make without being thrust into it by this wonderful, dizzy experience of romance. But there\u2019s a <em>reason<\/em> why people fall in love\u2014there\u2019s a <em>reason<\/em> why we walk, hand in hand \/ there\u2019s a <em>reason<\/em> why we sing \u201cour song\u201d and so forth. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>13:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe <em>reason<\/em> is\u2014that is how Jesus Christ comes to us!\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> \u2014to catch us up into His love \/ His redemptive love. Guys, He came across the tracks to find us!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> When I chose Jani, I chose her because she was <em>beautiful<\/em>\u2014she is beautiful! Jesus Christ did not choose a beauty queen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> \u201cWhile we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> While we were still in rebellion against Him, He offers Himself for us. That is\u2014talk about a profound mystery.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> And that\u2019s why we get married, because God wants\u2014there are going to be people all over the world who will <em>never<\/em> darken the door of a church \/ they\u2019ll <em>never<\/em> hear the gospel\u2014but they can <em>see<\/em> the gospel in a marriage.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> That is why Satan hates marriage. It has the aroma of Christ and His gospel all over it. So we are living, walking, breathing metaphors of this <em>great<\/em> reality. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>14:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tGod created the heavens and the earth, in Genesis 1, to be the honeymoon suite for Adam and Eve. God will recreate the heavens and the earth, at the end of time, to be the eternal honeymoon suite for the Son of God and His bride\u2014and that\u2019s us\u2014amazing!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> We\u2019re talking with Ray Ortlund\u2014he has written a book called <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel. <\/em>What you\u2019re talking about here, Ray, is\u2014you are lifting marriage out of this pool of humanity that has sung the song of: \u201cMarriage is for your happiness. It\u2019s for your own satisfaction.\u201d Certainly, as we\u2019ve talked about, there is the companionship, and the happiness, and the satisfaction there; but you\u2019re saying marriage and family are about much more than just two human beings getting their needs met from one another. It\u2019s about something far bigger \/ far grander than any two people could ever imagine.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>15:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And once you get the picture of what\u2019s at stake in your marriage, it will lift you out of this temporal view that people have of marriage today. It will fuel your fire for making sure your marriage is all that God designed it to be.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Boy, I really believe that, Dennis. It dignifies our marriages. Jesus, in Matthew, Chapter 19, explains that every marriage in the world today is as sacred in the sight of God, as was the marriage of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. My marriage with Jani is just as amazing, and just as divine, and just as God-given as was the marriage of Adam and Eve so long ago. The fact that so much time has elapsed \/ the fact that we do not have a perfect marriage\u2014and we have misfires with one another and we become short with one another\u2014changes nothing. This is of God. We\u2019ve been caught up into something that is <em>amazing<\/em>! It\u2019s a demonstration of God\u2019s grace.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>16:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI never dreamed that one of God\u2019s <em>primary<\/em> influences in my life for sanctification would be this gorgeous woman I get to live with. That\u2019s a sanctification I can get behind! [Laughter] You know what I\u2019m talking about?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes! It\u2019s in the fine print, though! [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHow did this fine woman come across your path?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Oh, my goodness. It was September 12, 1968, on the campus of Wheaton College at 5:00 p.m. I was walking from Fisher Hall to the Dining Hall, and I saw a freshman guy I had just met a few days before. I wanted to go say \u201cHi!\u201d to him on the way to dinner. When I got there, there was a girl standing there\u2014he introduced her. Then, several weeks later, I found out, through the grapevine\u2014she had integrity; she had standards; she had character. I thought, \u201cI have got to ask her out!\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAbout a month later, I <em>finally<\/em> worked up the courage to ask her out. I took her to a concert on the campus of Wheaton College\u2014the Chad Mitchell Trio\u2014in October of 1968. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Wow!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>17:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> We just started falling <em>crazy<\/em> in love! We had so much fun falling in love.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> So, how long before you popped the question?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> It was about two years, and I wanted to arrange things \/ time things in such a way that we could both graduate from college before we got married. I really wanted to reach that goal. We managed it by God\u2019s grace. We got married December 18, 1971.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> How did you ask her to marry you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> There was a little chapel in\u2014we called it \u201cThe Stu\u201d\u2014the Student Center, there at the college\u2014a little chapel. I went there with her; we had just walked home from Sunday evening church. I said, \u201cJani, would you marry me?\u201d She said, \u201cI need to think about it.\u201d [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> That\u2019s when you learned what kind of standards she really had; right? [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> So how long did she think?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> About twenty minutes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Oh, okay! [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> So I left her alone there. She actually got down on her knees and prayed about it. She got up from her knees, and she said\u2014I came back later\u2014she said, \u201cYes!\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>18:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Did that intimidate you?\u2014the pause?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> It was unsettling; yes! But, on the other hand, I knew that if she were going to make this a matter\u2014you know, put this before God\u2014then whatever decision she made would stick! And Jani has been an <em>incredibly<\/em> patient wife. We honestly love each other more than we ever did before. When we were\u2014when I look back on those early years of marriage now, I think, \u201cDid I really love her, or was I just predatory?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Tell the truth! [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> You know, we think about it\u2014and you\u2019ve made a great case today for what the picture of what marriage is and ought to be in the culture\u2014I\u2019ve often thought about how important it is for our kids, as we raise them, to know there\u2019s security and stability in the home; because they see mom and dad loving each other. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>19:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut, even beyond that, our kids\u2014for them to really understand the gospel when we come to articulate it \/ to articulate that in an environment, where there is a strong, stable marriage\u2014that lends a credibility to the message of who God is in a mysterious way that I don\u2019t know that we could put our finger on it when somebody told us. But we <em>know<\/em> <em>it<\/em>, environmentally, that the gospel can be true because of what we\u2019ve <em>experienced<\/em>, environmentally, with a mom and a dad who love each other.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> That is very real. I grew up in that kind of home. Again, it was not a perfect home; but Jesus was present, and I <em>knew<\/em> that because my dad and mom <em>embodied<\/em> what they talked about. There was an authenticity about it. My dad was honest about his shortcomings\u2014he wasn\u2019t faking it. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFor example, I remember one time\u2014my dad felt that he had disciplined me too severely. I was maybe ten or twelve. I didn\u2019t think he\u2019d disciplined me too severely, but he did. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>20:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd he came back to me, maybe an hour later, and apologized. I thought: \u201cWait a minute, Dad. I\u2019m the kid; you\u2019re the dad. You don\u2019t need to apologize to me.\u201d But he felt that he did, and he asked me to forgive him. My goodness! How can I not love and respect a dad like that?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And then you hear the gospel message on top of that, and you go, \u201cThis is true, because I see how it plays out in someone\u2019s life.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u201cThis makes sense in my reality.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> That\u2019s what kids need to see today.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes; it wasn\u2019t hypothetical.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes; and here\u2019s what the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5, verse 31\u2014it says: \u201cTherefore, a man shall leave his father and mother, and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound. I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.\u201d Marriage has a <em>profound<\/em> spiritual mission. It is to reflect God\u2019s love\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ray:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>21:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u2014for His redeemed bride, whom the Son of God died for\u2014the church.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And I think listeners will benefit from digging deeper than they may have dug when it comes to their understanding of God\u2019s purpose for marriage \/ His design for marriage. Ray has written a book called <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel. <\/em>It\u2019s not a long book, but it\u2019s a deep book that offers terrific insight into God\u2019s purpose for our marriage, helping us understand why we were given this gift in the first place and how it can be the best gift it can possibly be.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe have copies of <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel<\/em> in our <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> Resource Center. You can go online at FamilyLifeToday.com to order your copy. Again, the website is FamilyLifeToday.com. Or call 1-800-FL-TODAY; that\u2019s 1-800-358-6329. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>22:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tTo order your copy of the book, <em>Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel<\/em>, call: 1-800-\u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life, and then the word, \u201cTODAY.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, here at FamilyLife, we have just recently been looking at the projects that we have underway here\u2014a number of them like\u2014we\u2019re working on a new video series called <em>The Art of Parenting<\/em>. We are working on some redesigning of the <em>Weekend to Remember<\/em><sup>\u00ae<\/sup>. We\u2019re trying to upgrade and enhance our website and our digital platform. We\u2019ve recognized that, if we\u2019re going to stay on track to accomplish these projects, then, during the month of May, we\u2019re going to have to ask our listeners to pitch in and provide some help. We have a goal of needing to raise, this month, $1.1 million. That\u2019s obviously a significant goal to try to raise in a single month.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>23:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe good news is we have lots of listeners. If each listener would pitch in a little bit, that goal could be easily met. Let me offer you a little extra incentive to pitch-in early. We\u2019ve had some friends of the ministry, who have agreed that the first $150,000 that we can raise toward that goal, they\u2019ll match it with a $150,000 gift of their own. Can we ask you to, today, go to our website and give a one-time gift in support of this ministry? You can do that easily, online, at FamilyLifeToday.com; or you can call to make your donation over the phone at 1-800-FL-TODAY; or you can mail your donation to us. Our address is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> at PO Box 7111, Little Rock, AR; and our zip is 72223. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>24:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPlease also pray for us this month\u2014that we\u2019ll be able to meet that $1.1 million goal and that the projects that are underway can keep going through the summer months, because the funding needed for them is available. Thanks, in advance, for your prayers and for your support.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, tomorrow, we\u2019re going to continue to explore God\u2019s good design for marriage and see how He intends for us to bless and to minister to one another in our marriage relationship. I hope you can be with us for that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, along with our entire broadcast production team. On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I'm Bob Lepine. We\u2019ll see you back tomorrow for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas; a Cru<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> ministry. Help for today. Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2017 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/304484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=304484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=304484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=304484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=304484"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=304484"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=304484"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=304484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}