A Marriage (NOT) Made in Heaven

Jesus is asked a tricky question and his answer suggests another look at marriage.

Marriage is messy. Well, life is messy, so no surprise there. But -- let's be clear -- marriage is also beautiful and fun and a deeply fulfilling gift from God.

Still, let's be honest. A great marriage takes work, compromise, patience and forgiveness -- and a whole lot more. It's a playground for mistakes to be made that create lasting wounds, betrayals that bruise the soul and for levels of intimacy that bring great blessings but also great burdens.

And why shouldn't it be? Think about it. Marriage is an institution handcrafted by God for broken people. It connects two individuals and fuses them together as one within an equally crazy world. The goal, of course, is to create a union that, despite its baggage, is better together than apart. And a vast majority of the time it is; these two people meet deep needs, share great joy and create much beauty.

But along the way, our individualistic natures unavoidably collide, and often, while trying to sanctify one another, we end up sinning...