The Estate of Marriage

Monday Devotion

“This is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

Genesis 2:24

It always amazes me how contemporary ancient works can be.  Martin Luther penetrated the twenty-first century when he gazed into the souls of sixteenth-century couples in his essay titled “The Estate of Marriage.”  Since we live in a day when marriage is coming under increasing attack, we would do well to listen to Luther’s words.

Luther began his essay by reminding us that respect for marriage flows from acknowledging the One who designed marriage—God: “Do not criticize the work, or call that evil which he himself has called good.  He knows better than you yourself what is good and to your benefit, as he says in Genesis [2:18], ‘it is not good that the man should be alone.’”