Be
kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ
God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Have you lost that lovin’
feeling? There are days in even the most successful marriages when being in a
loving relationship is challenging. In Jesus we have our “Happily Ever After,” but
sometimes the day-to-day sacrifices are difficult.
What happens when the
emotions are not the same as they used to be? The world tells us lies about
what we “deserve” in life and marriage. Society no longer values the commitment
of marriage. When someone is just not happy anymore in marriage, he or she just
decides to walk away. We cannot expect those
who do not know the Lord to follow His will in marriage. But for those of us
who follow Jesus, we sacrifice in love and marriage. And as believers, we must
be ready to make a life-long commitment when we say, “I do.”
Gary Chapman, Ph.D.,
describes Biblical marriage in an article entitled, “Marriage: Covenant or Contract?” Marriage is a legal
contract, but it is so much more. Biblical marriage is a covenant. In the Old
Testament God established a covenant with his people. A covenant is unending, unconditional,
and it is always in the best interest of the other party. This is not a contract,
which is put into place to protect self. The world views marriage merely as a
contract. It has limits, terms, and conditions. But, we are not of this world.
However, each one of you also must love
his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband (Eph. 5:33). God is teaching us to let
go of self in order to love one another. When two spouses continually put the
other first, marriages are blessed. God
can work miracles in our relationships, when we seek His face and love as He
loves.
Lord, continue to give us strength to love our
spouses sacrificially.
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in
the wife of your youth (Proverbs
5:18).
*Visit Lifeway.com to read
the article by Gary Chapman, Ph.D, “Marriage:
Covenant or Contract?”
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