If you’re a Christian with a desire for marriage, I know you don’t just want to be married at any cost. Rather, you also want to submit to God’s timing. You don’t want to take matters into your own hands, you don’t want to force a relationship that is not God’s will, but you also don’t want to be so passive that you might miss the relationship God does want for you.
By studying Exodus 2:11-22, which is the passage explaining how God led Moses to his wife Zipporah, we can see at least 4 things you can do to submit to God’s timing for your future marriage.
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1. To Submit to God’s Timing for Your Future Marriage, Refine Your Passions for Holy Use
In Exodus 2:11-15, we are told that Moses has grown up as Pharoah’s daughter’s son. And yet, he knows he’s actually an Israelite. Moses is troubled by the slavery his people are experiencing. In a passion, he kills an Egyptian man who was abusing an Israelite. Pharoah finds out and Moses has to flee for his life. As he flees to the land of Midian, it was there that he met his wife Zipporah.
Just as Moses’ story is unique to him, so too will your journey towards your future spouse be unique to you. However, when someone is submitting to God’s timing for their future marriage, this includes far more than just waiting to meet the right person. Marriage is an important part of life and a great gift God wants to give many people. However, marriage is not the point of life.
God has important missions for each of us. Thus, to submit to God’s timing for your future marriage, you must be using the time God has given you in this life for his purposes. This usually involves a season of refinement. Moses’ heart was in the right place, but he was not ready to lead the people out of Egypt. God had to prepare him for that mission. And in the season of preparation, God then paired him with Zipporah.
Likewise, God isn’t just going to make you wait for your future spouse for some random reason. Rather, he’s usually going to make you wait when it involves you needing time to refine your passions, hone your skills, and gain greater clarity on your purpose in life.
Thus, to submit to God’s timing for your future marriage, make sure you are using your time wisely, preparing for the purposes and plans God has for you.
2. To Submit to God’s Timing for Your Future Marriage, Flee from Egypt (Sin)
While Egypt is a real place that Moses and the Israelites actually lived, in the Bible, Egypt is also symbolically used to represent our old life of sin. Like the Israelites who often longed to return to Egypt when they were rebelling against God in the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, so too are their seasons of life where Christians are tempted to return to their life of sin as well.
Thus, before Moses was really ready for his mission and for his future marriage, God had him flee from Egypt. Symbolically, this is exactly what we must do as we seek to submit to God’s timing for our lives and our marriages.
What part of “Egypt” remains in your life? What part of your old way of life still needs to be rooted out of you? When you are using the present to repent of any evil the Holy Spirit is convicting you of, you are also simultaneously submitting to God’s timing for your life and future marriage.
3. To Submit to God’s Timing for Your Future Marriage, Serve Other Singles as You Have Opportunity
Exodus 2:16-17, “Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock.”
Moses didn’t know that this act of service would lead to his future marriage. But it makes sense that it did. Zipporah’s father saw Moses’ character, which then led to them wanting this union.
I’m not saying you should just serve other Christian singles to find a spouse. Rather, you should serve everyone you can whenever you have opportunity (Galatians 6:10) and when you feel happy to do so (2 Corinthians 9:7) because this is the type of person you want to be for the Lord. And when people then see your genuine character, this naturally makes you attractive and gives you great opportunities to match with someone else who has great character.
4. To Submit to God’s Timing for Your Future Marriage, Live Life in a Healthy Community
Exodus 2:21 “And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah.”
God didn’t just send Moses out of Egypt alone. He gave him a new community. And out of that new community came God’s divinely orchestrated timing for Moses’ marriage to Zipporah.
Likewise, don’t just try to live alone. Usually the Lord will reveal the right person to you through being a part of a healthy community.
And for those of you who like specialized relationship training that goes much deeper than my weekly articles and videos, enrollment for AGW University is available until 8/31/25. And for the first time ever, I’m also offering one-on-one live coaching for anyone would like my personal assistance on your journey towards marriage. In addition to all the courses and live coaching, you will also have a years-worth of email coaching with me for ongoing support.
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