When Marriage Mirrors Heaven

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 
Ephesians 5:31 (NIV)

“The truth is that the last day of marriage is most important.”

These were the words of a husband whose wife was tragically killed by a drunk driver shortly after their wedding. Despite hearing of that tragedy, I want the last day of my marriage to echo that truth. By the grace of God, when I draw my last breath, it will be "until death do us part."

Many people in our society today believe marriage is like a contract that you can get in and out of. But marriage is not a contract. It's not even just a commitment. It's a covenant, a binding promise between you, your wife, and God himself. 

When you said "I do," you entered into something sacred that mirrors Christ's unbreakable covenant with his church. And Jesus keeps his promise. He made a covenant that when you place your faith in Him, He will never leave you or forsake you.

You owe it to your spouse to keep your promise. You owe it to your children to keep your promise. You owe it to your God to keep your promise. Outside of your relationship to God, the highest relationship you have is not to your children, it's to your spouse. The kids will be gone, but you'll still be married.

When your marriage hits rough water—and it will—remember your covenant. When disappointment sets in or communication breaks down, don't look for escape routes. Look to the God who keeps His covenant with you. When you feel like walking away, pray this: "Jesus, the same way you keep your promise to me, give me the power to keep my promise to my spouse."

Every day, make one choice that honors your covenant. Text them in the middle of a hard day: "I'm grateful I get to walk through life with you." In times of temptation when you wonder if there's something better elsewhere, remind yourself of the sacred promise you made. When things get difficult, invest in your marriage instead of withdrawing from it.

The last day of your marriage should be the best day—not because it's easy, but because you kept your covenant all the way to the end. That's the kind of marriage that reflects Christ's love for His church.

Prayer: Father, thank You for my marriage. I know it is a covenant, not a contract that I can break when it gets hard. Give me the strength to keep my promise even when my strength fails. Help me remember that You never gave up on me, so I won't give up on my spouse. Make me a person who keeps my word all the way to my last breath. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.