Sacred Marriage - by Gary Thomas

I am reading this book "Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas. The book talks about about drawing closer to God as we draw closer to our spouse; about loving our God when we are loving our spouse; about serving your spouse in family; and many more. I encourage people to read this book, I guess it is best to be used by married couple or those who are in relationship, but It is definitely a good guide for loving and serving others. Let me know if you are reading the book or are interested in borrowing the book.

A few excerpts from the book :

" In the same way, some of us ask too much of marriage. We want to get the largest portion of our life's fulfillment from our relationship with our spouse. That's asking too much. Yes, without a doubt there should be moments of happiness, meaning, and a general sense of fulfillment. But, my wife can't be God, and I was created with a spirit that craves God. Anything less than God, and I'll feel an ache." (p.26)

"We can never love somebody too much...love must be acquired" (40) - to me this sentence meant that God commanded us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love others (this includes people that you don't like or people that are "different" than you). We are called to sacrifice daily, to be broken and used by God. Whenever we heard the word break, sacrifice, it involves pain, hurt, etc. And that is love, and what you will encounter when you are called to love brother, sister, boss, homeless person, other Indonesians, Mexicans, Americans, the list can go on. But, Paul also reminded us in his letter, that love is patient, love is kind, it does not boast,...

"God doesn't command us to get married..." (42) - yet He commanded us to love others. The author also mentions that marriage is a choice in life that God has entrusted us to make. This means we have to take on all the luggages that comes with it: listening, "understanding, sympathize" (48)

I haven't finished the book, so I close with a verse from the bible I found on page 49 in the book: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother" (1 John 4:20-12).