Did You Ever Think of Your Marriage as “Musical”?

By Jim Peterson:

On the last week of January, the church will once again sponsor the Married Couples Retreat at Rocky Gap Resort. According to current registrations, it would appear that almost 100 people will be in attendance. Because so many will be going, we will only have one service that Sunday at 9:30 am. After 45 years of marriage, Lois and I will be attending our first marriage retreat and are looking forward to it with great anticipation.

Sometimes we are asked why we place such heavy emphasis on healthy marriages –even to the point of sponsoring a Married Couples Retreat that takes so many people away from our Sunday Services. I could answer the question a number of ways, but I particularly like the way the question is answered in the book “Life-Style Evangelism” by Joseph C. Aldrich.

He says it this way: “The music of the gospel must precede the words of the gospel and prepare the context in which there will be a hunger for those words. What is the “music” of the gospel? The “music” of the gospel is the beauty of the indwelling Christ as lived out in the everyday relationships of life. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ has solved the problem of man’s sin and offers him the potential of an exchanged life, a life in which the resources of God Himself are available for his transformation. And as the gospel is translated into music, it makes redemptive relationships possible. When the world observes husbands loving their wives, and wives supporting and caring for their husbands and families, they have seen a miracle; they have heard the music. It is miraculous music for which many of them are longing.

The two greatest forces in evangelism are a healthy church and a healthy marriage. The two are interdependent. You can’t have one without the other. It is the healthy marriage, however, which is the “front lines weapon.” The Christian family in a community is the ultimate evangelistic tool, assuming the hoe circle is an open one win which the beauty of the gospel is readily available. It’s the old story: When love is seen, the message is heard.”

There is still time to register for the retreat if you wish to attend. You can go all three days (Fri-Sat-Sun) or for just two (Sat. Sun.). Registration forms can be found at the Connection Center or the church office. Based upon feedback from couples who have gone before us, it can be a life changing experience. Hope to see you there and let the “music” begin!