Undisputed — Over The Family - Monday
Today’s Verse
Genesis 2:24
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (ESV)
If I were to ask you, “Who is a part of your immediate family?” What would you say?
One of my first jobs out of college was in a field that demanded long and irregular hours. I worked days, nights, weekends, and even holidays. After working several double shifts in one week, I was utterly exhausted. My husband and I hadn’t spent much time together, and since quality time is at the top of my love language list, my emotional tank was depleted.
As I was wrapping up my shift, a coworker casually asked what I was doing after work. Without hesitation, I explained I was going home to spend time with my family. He responded, saying, “Oh, I didn’t realize you have kids.” I paused, confused by the statement. “I don’t,” I said. “I’m married. My husband is my family.”
Genesis 2:24 says, “A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
When a man and woman marry, they become their own family. Their priorities shift. God should be first, then their spouse. God created both individuals and marriage with a purpose, and He gives us a clear blueprint of what marriage should look like, regardless of the season of life.
When an adult child gets married, their spouse becomes their immediate family. When a couple has children, those children are a part of their immediate family, but only for a season. Loving them well means preparing to let them go. Releasing them to grow into their own person isn’t abandonment, but is an act of love and trust. Holding on too tightly can unintentionally interfere with the new family God is building through them.
Children are a blessing, but they do not redefine God’s design and priority for marriage. One of the greatest gifts I can give my children is to love and prioritize their dad. If I neglect my relationship with my spouse for the sake of my children, I ultimately hurt them, and I fail to model God’s design.
On the other side of the family structure, prioritizing your spouse doesn’t mean turning your back on your parents. It’s adjusting to your new family structure. It’s a reordering, not a rejection. The role parents play becomes one of extended family, not daily authority. Honoring them still matters deeply, but clinging to them in a way that interferes with your marriage creates confusion and imbalance.
REFLECTION
This week, take time to prayerfully self-evaluate how you define and live out your role within both your immediate and extended families. Are your priorities and expectations aligned with God’s design? Or have personal desires, societal pressures, or past roles blurred the lines? Ask God to help you release, reorder, or refocus where needed.
