Married for God: Making Your Marriage the Best It Can Be

I enjoyed this book, being single, as it aims to define marriage but gives views for both the single and married perspective. It views singleness as a gift and not as merely an expectation for marriage. The book is primarily looking at marriage from a biblical perspective, aiming at specific passages in each chapter and pulling out how marriage should be viewed. Some practicality will be implied from these passages but what the practicality looks like is not fleshed out. I think that that is okay as there seem to be a lot of books which focus on practicality but miss the basis of the practicality at times. Another reason is that marriages may be different based on personality and culture, which is a small point that the book makes as well.According to the Further Reading section, this book seems to be a condensed, possibly lay, version of Marriage: Sex in the Service of God. And the title of Ash's other work drives the main point of this book. The book's main premise and introduction is that God is at the center of marriage (i.e., not romance or the marriage itself). Chapter 2 states that marriage has 3 purposes: children, sex and order, explained in chapters 3, 4 and 6 respectively. There is a chapter for people who may have baggage from previous relationships (God has grace for you) and another for singles. The book ends with recognizing that marriage is about faithfulness and concludes that it points to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Being condensed, I found the book a fairly quick read but the information he provides is helpful and good to consider so consider: Is God the point of my marriage or do I merely see God as one who provides for my marriage?

it has really helped me to see the the realities of marriage...through many small examples and how they are impactful...for the bigger journey. One thing i found really interesting in this book is that it tells you that overall marriage is one part of the bigger picture. God does not want us to stop at marriage... but rather see it is an opportunity to mature even more Like God, to think more like him, and see Bigger things from His perspective which will help us reach the bigger goal.

I try to read a lot on marriage. This book cuts out the fluff, gives it to you straight and gives you a primer for what to expect in marriage from God, from your heart, and fro your spouse.I am going to recommend this book to as many people as I can.

Great book

This is a fantastic book if you want to look at what Biblical marriage looks like! When marriage stops being all about you and your happiness, there is so much joy and freedom! I can't recommend it enough.

Increasingly deep book for its size. It challenges many popular assumptions about marriage and singleness while providing a clear Biblical picture of what marriage was meant to be.

I enjoyed Married for God. It is much more theoretical than practical (nothing at all wrong with that), so just know that. He said many things I'm left chewing on, which fir me is the sign of a good book.

Wow, this book beautifully describes God's design for marriage. I'm so glad to have read this book. Everyone needs to read this.

Such a comprehensive, biblical teaching of a Godly marriage. This book is beyond being about marriage, I found that it revealed who I am in Christ, my purpose on this earth and prepared me and challenged me for my upcoming marriage. My fiancé is now reading and completing thr exercises in the book. Its been one of thr best books I've read. Additionally, its a short read, managed to read, study and do exercises within 3 weeks. Took my time as I wanted to truly learn.

Ash's writing is biblically soaked, and this means his approach to sex and marriage expresses itself differently from most other discussions of the subject (including many "Christian" books). His perspective on marriage and sex begins with the recognition that God gave man and woman to one another for a purpose - that they are to exist in relationship in order to help one another. This is very different from our more normal cultural assumption that relationships are primarily about keeping us from being lonely, or meeting our sexual needs. No, Ash is clear, we are given to one another in order to work together, which is why the Bible says that Eve was given to Adam as a `helper' rather than as a `companion'. "Marriage is not the remedy for loneliness. Not all human beings are able to marry, but all human beings are invited into fellowship with God and with one another in Jesus Christ...we should want marriages that serve God. If they are sexually and personally fulfilled, well and good. But if they do not serve God, no amount of personal fulfilment will make them right." And as part of this approach, sex should become sex in the service of God.Sex is sex in the service of God when it is fruitful. God's plan for sex was for "pro-creating (creating on his behalf) potential gardeners to join his team." While discussing this, Ash spends some time speaking to those who are unable to have children as this is one of the most painful things anyone can experience. But this pastoral sensitivity does not prevent him from being clear about the fruitful intent of sex in the service of God.Ash is also very clear about how marriage requires faithfulness, and how sacrificial love (or the marriage institution) is good gift of grace. "Sex within marriage is sex under grace, with nothing to prove. A married couple may `do well' or `do badly' at sex, and cheerfully laugh about it knowing that their relationship is not threatened when they do badly... On the other hand, sex outside marriage is always sex `under law'...always anxious lest at any time the other may decide there is not enough in it for them."Ash has written a book that should be of help to many people. It will help couples considering marriage, and if its message is taken to heart it should help keep together many marriages that seem to be heading for the precipice. Marriage is certainly not the only way in which to serve God, but in order to be fruitfully, faithfully and sacrificially married, marriage should be for God.

Just the best book about marriage you can buy. Christopher demonstrates that marriage is more than just the two of us, but is given that we might serve God together. Far more helpful than the usual Christianised pop-psychology books. Readable, practical biblical theology.

Excellent

Fantastic