Marriage

By John McNeal 

Marriage is a wonderful institution in which a man and a woman become united in the presence of friends, family and God.  This form of unity has been around for thousands of years.  Adam and Eve were the first to enter into this holy commitment, and there were many people who followed suit.  To many people, marriage might look easy, especially if all the planets and stars stay aligned.

Of course as anyone who has been in a marriage, or has observed their parents’ marriage can attest, there is no perfect marriage.  Heated discussions do breakout from time to time.  Sometimes harsh words are said, feelings are hurt, and trust may even be broken.  But does that mean the marriage stops there?  No.  Marriage is a commitment; one that God had meant to be applicable for a lifetime.  

In the movie Fireproof, Lieutenant Michael Simmons said, “When most people promise, ‘for better or for worse’, they really only mean, for better.”  It seems nobody really takes their wedding vows seriously anymore.  From my point of view, marriage is hard work.  Yes, there are times that it is easy, rewarding, and fulfilling, and there are times that it weighs heavy on the heart.  But working through those hard times with your spouse makes the marriage that much more rewarding.

God never meant for us to be alone and He never meant for us to back out of a covenant relationship with our partner.  A covenant relationship is for life.  When Abram entered into a covenant relationship with God, more than just his thinking about life was changed. In fact, God even changed his name, from Abram to Abraham.  In marriage there is no difference.  “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24, NIV)  God unites and changes the two into one flesh at the altar.  This unity should be completed by us mentally, physically, and spiritually.

During those times when words are flung like daggers and spears, stay committed to that relationship, for faith, grace, and patience may ease the broken hearted in hard times. Seek God and His counsel through His word.  Remember, His covenant relationship that He made to man may have started in Genesis, but the task was completed at the cross.  He never gave up; should we?