How can Bill and Melinda Gates restore their marriage?
Billionaire philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates have opted for divorce after 27 years of marriage. Many married couples have become discouraged due to this recent update. The thought is that if billionaires, in a capitalistic society, cannot make it then who can. Discouraged couples need to remember that marriage is an institution that originated from the Holy Bible. The only way that Bill and Melinda Gates can successfully restore their marriage is by replicating the Original Design of Marriage outlined in the Holy Scriptures.
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Knowing the Original Design of Marriage will help Bill and Melinda Gates restore their marriage. The Original Design of Marriage has three primary components. The first component is found in Genesis 2:15. According to Genesis 2:15, God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden “… to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Dressing and keeping the Garden of Eden was Adams original purpose. The word ‘dress’ in the Hebrew is ‘abad, which means to work as a servant. The word ‘keep’ in the Hebrew is shamar, which means to protect. God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to work as a servant in the garden and to protect the garden. Protecting the garden required that Adam become the steward of the garden. God granted Adam stewardship over the Garden of Eden. Stewardship requires a relationship between the master and the one that the master entrusts with the resources. In this case, God is the master, and He entrusted the Garden of Eden to Adam.
The second component involves the instructions that God gave to Adam, according to Genesis 2:16 to 17. According to Colossians 3:19, Ephesians 5:25, and Ephesians 5:28, God directs husbands – such as Adam – to love your wives. The type of love described in these Holy Scriptures is Agape Love. Agape Love means to love from a cooperative, interdependent, and moral perspective.
Cooperative behavior is the action of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit. Therefore, the husband and wife are to work together for a common purpose or benefit. We find that cooperative behaviors are prevalent in nature. For example, ravens and wolves exhibit cooperative behaviors to ensure their survival. Ravens guide wolves to the prey which helps the ravens get the leftovers that they can digest. Without the wolves, the ravens would not eat. Without the ravens, wolves would not find what to eat.
Interdependence between a husband and wife is necessary for a successful marriage. An interdependent relationship between a husband and wife is a close personal relationship, where one or both provides some type of support and care for the other. We find that interdependent behaviors are part of the science that ensures that the human body survives. For example, our muscles need oxygen to work, the circulatory and respiratory systems need muscles to get oxygen.
The husband and wife must exhibit moral behaviors that are guided by the Holy Scriptures. Following the prescriptions of the Holy Scriptures enables couples to have a successful marriage by conforming to right and just behaviors.
The final component involves instructions for both the husband and wife. According to Genesis 2:18, God made the wife to be the helper for the husband. That word ‘meet’ in the Hebrew is ‘ezer. Ezer means to help. Eve’s primary responsibility was to help Adam who was to work as a servant and to protect the Garden of Eden.
The original purpose for the union between Adam and Eve was to work together as a team to serve and protect the Garden of Eden. Hence, the original purpose for the marriage between a man and a woman is to serve and protect the resources that God gives to the husband and wife through teamwork. Therefore, the original purpose for Bill and Melinda Gates is to serve and protect the resources given then by God through teamwork.
The key for the Bill and Melinda Gates to restore their marriage is to replicate the Original Design of Marriage. This requires that Bill Gates become a servant of God so that God will continue to provide resources for Bill and Melinda Gates to focus on their Garden of Eden.
Leading Your Marriage into the Promised Land (Workbook for husbands & Wives)
Advanced Marriage Training for Singles
Husband Leadership Principles
“I was blessed by the love and sensitivity that you and your wife showed during the presentation”.
Bishop Joseph P. Ravenell
Samaritan Baptist Church
Trenton, NJ
“I would highly recommend you to any church or organization desiring to provide their people with timely marital wisdom and practical application skills”.
