Why Should You Be Any Different?

Soon afterward King Sennacherib received word that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack, he sent messengers back to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with this message: “This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria. You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different? [2 Kings 19.9-11]

I know this passage is not about marriage, but marriage is a topic on my mind today for some people I love dearly. This passage of Scripture reveals a Truth about life, that just so happens to also be revealed in marriage as if in microscopic focus.

It's only natural that the divorce rate is so high in the world AND the church today.

Why should you be any different?

The problem with marriage today is not a marriage problem. It is a problem of individual people not knowing the answer to this question:

Why should you be any different?

Christianity has become so watered down - so irrelevant today that Christians are absolutely no different than the world - except maybe that some "go to church" once or twice a week.

Sennacherib made the mistake of thinking Hezekiah and the people of Judah were no different than all the other pagan nations he had conquered up to this point. Sennacherib had grossly succeeded in subduing all those nations whose god was NOT the LORD. As is indicated by his communication recorded in the Bible, Sennacherib's approach to Jerusalem was the same as his approach to the other nations he had conquered. It can be concluded that his "propaganda campaign" before attacking was his "modus operandi" - his chosen method of conquest. It had worked before, so Sennacherib would naturally ask Hezekiah the question:

Why should you be any different?

The answer to the question was quite simple: Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem were indeed different in that they were in relationship with God - genuinely trusting in the LORD Almighty God - something Sennacherib had not heretofore encountered!

That answer should be the same answer today when asked why Christian marriages should be any different. But it's NOT because "Christian" marriages today are more marriage than they are Christian! In fact, the only Christianity found in far too many marriages today is the ceremony itself - that's it. After the Christian ceremony, couples proceed to live lives just like everyone else and subsequently are torn apart just like everyone else when "life happens." In fact, many who do attempt to "go to church" find Sunday mornings (or whenever they go to church) to be their worst times relationally.

The obvious must be stated here. Christians do not enjoy the Christian life because they are not really Christians - they have not really submitted their lives, hopes, dreams, - everything to God - and, in the case of marriage, likewise to their spouse. They have not "taken up their cross and followed Jesus." They are not "like Christ" in laying their own lives down (the quality for which a person should be called a Christian in the first place).

The solution is simple: If we are to enjoy the power of God upon our marriages and our lives (as Hezekiah and Jerusalem experienced), we must have a relationship of submission to God. It won't stop Satan's attacks and propaganda campaigns, but it will ultimately reveal their futility. In the end, true believers can answer Sennacherib's (ie. Satan's) question, "Why should you be any different?" with the answer, "Because of Christ." 

But, the interesting thing is... Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem DID NOT ANSWER Sennacherib. They didn't have to! They cried out to God and God took care of Sennacherib!

There is no arena in life where Jesus' words find more application than in marriage:

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. [John 15.13]

Just like Hezekiah and Jerusalem were surrounded by Sennacherib with no hope, marriages everywhere are surrounded with no hope of victory. But those who trust in the LORD are only surrounded as much as God can be surrounded! Their victory is NOT found in their ability to make it work - to overcome the opposition - to combat the barrage of damning lies and misinformation spewed by the enemy. Their victory is found in the answer to this question: 

Why should you be any different?

The answer to the question above is obvious by their lives however, not necessarily spoken by their mouths. "Christ in me." But Christ is only in us as much as we are submitted to Him.

Father, may these words settle deep in our hearts where Satan's deception and the Truth of Your Word do battle. We know Your Word makes the difference.