I don’t have to corner on marriage or happiness. Ten years of marriage gets me very little in life experience. Jesus is the one we all need. This new series—”When I Say ‘I Do'”—has been a joy to preach and plan for. And we have bee praying it bears fruit in our church.
One person whose teaching on marriage has benefitted me greatly is Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian church in NYC. I compiled some of his best tweets on the subject for your reading pleasure . . .
ON MARRIAGE’S DESIGN
If we want to be happy in marriage we will accept that marriage is designed to make us holy, not happy. Happiness is a byproduct.
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) March 7, 2015
It’s ironic that God takes your selfishness in marriage and uses it against you for your own good. — Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) March 24, 2015
Christian marriage does not offer a choice between fulfillment and sacrifice but mutual fulfillment thru mutual sacrifice. — Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) August 9, 2014
In marriage, do for your spouse what God did for you in Jesus, and the rest will follow. — Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) June 6, 2014
Marriage only ‘works’ to the degree that it approximates the pattern of God’s self-giving love found in Christ. — Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) February 15, 2014
ON MARRIAGE REVEALING OUR OWN SINFULNESS
Why discard your current partner for someone else only to discover *that* person’s deep, hidden flaws? -The Meaning of Marriage
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) April 2, 2015
Marriage does not so much bring you into confrontation with your spouse as confront you with yourself. — Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) March 21, 2015
Marriage is supposed to be about us, but often it is about me. — Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) October 1, 2014
Marriage is the Mack truck driving through your life, revealing your flaws and humbling your reactions.
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) June 22, 2014
ON HAVING A GREAT MARRIAGE
It takes both spouses to say, “my self-centeredness is the main problem in my marriage” to have a great marriage.
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) February 12, 2015
If each spouse says to the other, “I will treat my selfishness as the main problem in the marriage,” you have the prospect for great things.
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) July 15, 2014
Marriage advice: Make sure you know the sins of the other and want to be God’s means of sanctification in their life in those areas
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) May 8, 2014
What keeps a marriage going is your commitment to your spouse’s holiness.
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) April 11, 2014
Essential to marriage is the ability to forgive and repent.
— Timothy Keller (@timkellernyc) February 9, 2014
See you next week!
