Marriage is holy. Marriage is special. Marriage is forming a special bond. But there is a third person who is part of this bond and that is God.

It is actually the presence of God that makes it holier, if one can use words like that. You see, holy means set apart, especially set aside for God. That is why God cherishes marriage. He is very serious about that bond being protected at all cost.

⁴Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit s*x.

I had the privilege of observing the relationship between my eldest daughter and her husband even before it began. It is wonderful to see love bloom. It is wonderful to see how as time goes by, each of them taking their rightful place in their marriage and how each of them has something to give.

Their differences attract one another like a magnet. Someone said it was so good for them to see a bride so excited to eventually be married. That’s how it should be. The two of them dance around the flame of love, strengthening the marriage bond even more.

Then I wonder how does that flame grow weaker?

Maybe because people don’t respect the bond of marriage. People quickly forget that it is a promise made before God. People forget that God is the third party in the marriage. People forget that their marriage has been set aside especially for God.

People grow bored with one another and go looking for excitement outside the boundaries of their marriage. How thrilling. This is what it was like in the beginning. The lights call them closer and before they know it, their marriage has gone up in lights, leaving a dark, smoldering ruin behind.

Marriages go through seasons. The biggest new season that arrives is the season of children. Suddenly your love has to be shared with the children and it may happen that the spouse is pushed aside for now. There, away from the flame, it is cold, and people don’t like being cold. The parties start forgetting the holiness and go looking for warmth, intimacy, a place of belonging outside the boundary.

And their marriage becomes part of the statistics.

God is serious about marriage. Yes, in some seasons you will feel alone. At times, you will feel so far apart that you will believe that you will never again find the love between you. But the season to love one another like in the beginning is just around the corner.

Don’t look over the boundary. Don’t try it. You topple over it so quickly. Love your spouse. Continuously build your marriage. Make an effort and be the least. And remember, your marriage with your spouse is holy, because there is a third party, and that is God.

Scripture
Hebrews 13:1-8

Reflection
What does your marriage picture look like?
Have you ever wondered what it would be like married to someone else?
What do you have to work on in your marriage?

Prayer
Father, I know all these things about marriage, but sometimes I wonder how serious I am about it. Sometimes I pull away more than I push closer. I know You have bound us in marriage. Help us not to tear it apart. Help us love one another as we did in the beginning. Amen.