The Battle of Marathon took place in 490 B.C. during the first Persian invasion. It was fought between the citizens of Athens, Greece, and the Persian forces under the rule of the Persian King Darius. A fabled run of a Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, is the basis for the modern marathon, held in cities across the world, with the larger ones having tens of thousands of runners participating.
The marathon is a long-distance, foot race on the road with an official distance of 26 7/32 miles, requiring great strength and endurance. A sprint, on the other hand, is a short distance run, requiring a burst of energy, to run at one's full speed. Marriage is a marathon, not a sprint.
From the website Marathon Rookie, I found the Top 10 Rookie Mistakes for beginner marathon runners, which apply to marriage as well. They are: injury, hydration, lack of knowledge, starting too fast, wrong goal, motivation, lack of belief, lack of support, and underestimate stretching. Let's look at each one of these for why marriages are often troubled, and fail.
1. Injury. A couple comes into marriage, bringing emotional and spiritual baggage, and often many wounds. MarathonRookie.com says that many beginner runners "notice soreness in their shins or knees and ignore it. They keep running and BAM, it hits them. They're done. Game Over. Be aware of the warning signs and how to treat them."
If one person in the marriage is injured, then the marriage's health will be affected as well. We need to realize that it is only God who can heal us and make us whole - not our spouse. Men love to fix things, but they can't fix their wives. Vice versa for wives trying to change, fix, or improve their husbands.
Jesus is the healer of wounded hearts. Sometimes healing from deep hurts such as parental rejection, abandonment, childhood abuse, dysfunctional relationships in adulthood, abortion, drug, alcohol, or pornography and gambling addictions may require professional counseling, spiritual deliverance, and/or pastoral accountability.
Ultimately as we seek God's face, study His word, and obey Him, we will receive our healing. Psalm 107:20 says, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction."
2. Hydration. MarathonRookie.com says that runners get dehydrated because they underestimate how much water their bodies need during training. Married couples don't realize how much they need Jesus' "living waters" each day for their marriage to last. In John 4:10 (NKJV), Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, "Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
3. Lack of knowledge. When you're dating, let's face it, your fiance' doesn't realize what he's really getting himself into! He doesn't know that you're a clean-freak, you hate to cook, and you aren't a morning person. After all, you go out on weekend dates to the Japanese or Italian restaurant, where they cook the delicious food, wash the dishes, and after your talks and snuggles til midnight at his house, you go home and crash - and sleep in the next morning!
Woman deprived of gold and honor prior to marriage by arynews
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2637318
The marathon is a long-distance, foot race on the road with an official distance of 26 7/32 miles, requiring great strength and endurance. A sprint, on the other hand, is a short distance run, requiring a burst of energy, to run at one's full speed. Marriage is a marathon, not a sprint.
From the website Marathon Rookie, I found the Top 10 Rookie Mistakes for beginner marathon runners, which apply to marriage as well. They are: injury, hydration, lack of knowledge, starting too fast, wrong goal, motivation, lack of belief, lack of support, and underestimate stretching. Let's look at each one of these for why marriages are often troubled, and fail.
1. Injury. A couple comes into marriage, bringing emotional and spiritual baggage, and often many wounds. MarathonRookie.com says that many beginner runners "notice soreness in their shins or knees and ignore it. They keep running and BAM, it hits them. They're done. Game Over. Be aware of the warning signs and how to treat them."
If one person in the marriage is injured, then the marriage's health will be affected as well. We need to realize that it is only God who can heal us and make us whole - not our spouse. Men love to fix things, but they can't fix their wives. Vice versa for wives trying to change, fix, or improve their husbands.
Jesus is the healer of wounded hearts. Sometimes healing from deep hurts such as parental rejection, abandonment, childhood abuse, dysfunctional relationships in adulthood, abortion, drug, alcohol, or pornography and gambling addictions may require professional counseling, spiritual deliverance, and/or pastoral accountability.
Ultimately as we seek God's face, study His word, and obey Him, we will receive our healing. Psalm 107:20 says, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction."
2. Hydration. MarathonRookie.com says that runners get dehydrated because they underestimate how much water their bodies need during training. Married couples don't realize how much they need Jesus' "living waters" each day for their marriage to last. In John 4:10 (NKJV), Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, "Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
3. Lack of knowledge. When you're dating, let's face it, your fiance' doesn't realize what he's really getting himself into! He doesn't know that you're a clean-freak, you hate to cook, and you aren't a morning person. After all, you go out on weekend dates to the Japanese or Italian restaurant, where they cook the delicious food, wash the dishes, and after your talks and snuggles til midnight at his house, you go home and crash - and sleep in the next morning!
Woman deprived of gold and honor prior to marriage by arynews
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2637318
