Marriage is Honorable

Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:22-33

Marriage is honorable, and it is an institution set up by God. The Bible says that God made the woman to be Adam's "helper comparable to him" (Genesis 2:18-25). God created them to become 'one flesh.' When this union occurs, two individuals set aside their independence to mutually support each other.

A godly home raises godly children and good citizens. That is why the devil is bent on breaking this sacred institution. Marriage is a covenant built on mutual trust. There are four key building blocks in establishing trust. They are love, understanding, openness, and forgiveness.

Coming from two different backgrounds, misunderstandings are inevitable. But love covers all. Constant criticism does not build trust. The way each person reacts to a situation depends on their own experiences in their own homes. In a marriage, each one must try to understand why their spouse is saying or doing something in a particular way by literally stepping into their shoes.

The roles of the husband and the wife also have to be understood in the proper light. The Bible explains it beautifully in Ephesians 5:22-33. No unit can have two leaders. The husband is the head of the family. But this does not make the wife less important. The wife is the heart of the family. The head and the heart are both equally crucial for life, and one cannot exist without the other. 

Openness plays an essential role in marriage. Together, the couple must make decisions that will affect the family. 

Last but not least, forgiveness. It is common to have disagreements and conflicts in any relationship. What is important is how we resolve them. Some people think that forgiving one's spouse or yielding in an argument displays weakness. It is not a sign of weakness but a sign of Christ-like love. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:26, "... do not let the sun go down on your wrath." 

Marriage is a covenant with God. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:12, "... a threefold cord is not quickly broken." When God is present in that relationship, He will be the one who binds them together, despite their seeming differences. God makes that bond stronger. Unless that bond is strong, bound by the Word, the storms of life can shatter them. May the love of Christ bind us and rule our hearts.

My friend, we may have been married for many years, and ours might not have been the ideal marriage. Let us pray today that the Lord will breathe life into our marriages.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I pray that our love for You will unite us and strengthen us. Amen.