You may someday meet the love of your life! You may have already met the love of your life! You may be married to the love of your life! As people talk about the key or secret behind lasting relationships, what might it be? I believe what is most important is to consider God’s idea.
After God provided Adam with Eve as his helpmate, we read. . .
“(24) Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24 ESV)
When questioned about marriage, Jesus reiterated the same thing where we read. . .
“(4) He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, (5) and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? (6) So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”” (Matthew 19:4-6 ESV)
In his letter to Christians at Ephesus, when writing about the relationship of Christ and the church in light of the relationship between husbands and wives (Ephesians 5:22-33), Paul also noted. . .
“(31) “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”” (Ephesians 5:31 ESV)
Therein rests the secret to a “perfect marriage”. Though the parent-child relationship is a blood relationship, the marriage relationship is addressed as being of an even closer bond. Key to the longevity of the relationship is as someone has duly noted: “A perfect marriage is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other.” [original source unknown]
Every marriage that has lasted has been between two imperfect individuals who stuck it out and held to their covenant with each other in spite of the moments which were not perfect. It is about a commitment to covenant rather than merely a craving for chemistry. At times it is about swallowing one’s pride and choosing to abide as the relationship continues to be a piece of work. Every couple who has celebrated forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, or more years of marriage did so with imperfections which reveals the “perfect marriage” is the one which is made to happen by choosing to hold fast to the relationship. And today (August 3, 2023) my wife and I celebrate the perfection of 49 years as we continue to surrender to the “till death do us part” we vowed to each other.
Relationships are not always easy. However, relationships are worth the effort needed for building and sustaining them. May we therefore consider all relationships in light of what God desires them to be as we commit to doing our part to make them so!
Have a great day BLESSED IN THE POWER OF COMMITTED RELATIONSHIPS!
Carl
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(“teEn-MAIL” is sent out daily by Carl Hanson, preacher for the Church of Christ in Port Townsend, Washington, USA, located at 230 A Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Come visit us if in the area.)
