In the business world, “outsourcing” refers to the obtaining of goods and services from an outside or foreign supplier, especially in place of an internal source. Most of us have experienced this for example, in the realm of customer service phone support. We understand the logic.

An outsourced call center in a foreign country can frequently do the job for a fraction of the cost. Of course, the decision to outsource customer support is a trade-off. Internet forums and blogs are filled with overseas support horror stories about reps who speak broken English, fail to comprehend problems and make the entire support experience a grueling ordeal. No, I am not suggesting you outsource your marriage to a foreign land! It’s actually much further away than that. I’m talking about a heavenly outsourcing.

“We have built into us a God-shaped vacuum, which remains empty until we allow God to fill it by fulfilling our deepest longings. This gnawing hunger is only sated by God’s touch, and never totally fulfilled in this age. Even so, having the merest taste of this satisfaction is to truly live, and having the faintest revelation of that future fulfillment is the pinnacle of what it means to be alive.” (Mike Bickle, Seven Longings of the Human Heart)

My wife cannot fulfill the  longings I have for the divine Presence, but she can meet certain needs and that energizes me; strengthens me to pursue God. Imagine a like response in kind from me, and we have got ourselves a blessed couple! But there is a deeper foundation, the rock, on which all of this rests. We are helpmeets to one another, best friends and journey mates, heading to the same eternal city. There’s a deeper longing that fuels marital longing.

The ultimate fulfillment in marriage comes from each spouse finding their ultimate fulfillment in something other than their marriage.

To put it simply, we’ve outsourced our marriage to God.