“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NLT)

 

Maybe you’ve heard someone say about a happy, loving couple, “They have a marriage made in Heaven.” The implication is that some marriages just work—and that, by extension, some marriages don’t. Don’t believe it. Good marriages thrive because of the efforts made by both partners. Bad marriages fail because of the neglect of both partners. You want a good marriage? Make it. You want a bad marriage? Neglect it.

There are two things we can work at to strengthen our marriages. First, we must obey the Word of God. God’s Word must be the standard for marriage. If that’s the case, then we’re on the right track. If that’s not the case, then we’ll face troubles ahead.

The apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 give us a master class in creating a solid, thriving, durable relationship. It starts with choosing patience and kindness in interacting with one another and refusing to allow circumstances to change that. It challenges us to act selflessly, to work through the insecurities that lead to jealousy, rudeness, and a sense of privilege. It calls us to strive for integrity, emphasizing a spirit of forgiveness, honesty, faith, hope, and endurance.

And that’s just one passage. Building a marriage on the foundation of Scripture is a lifetime pursuit. But what a life it promises!

Second, we need to lay aside the world’s distorted and perverse concept of marriage. We need to learn to see through the lie that marriage is secondary to our own needs and wants. And the lie that marriage is disposable. We need to remove the word divorce from our vocabulary. Divorce can’t be some trapdoor that’s always nearby in case we want to escape. We need to resolve to make our relationship work through thick and thin, no matter what. We need to determine that because we’ve made a sacred vow, we’re going to stand by our marriage.

Jesus was quoting God’s words in Genesis 2:24 when He said, “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one” (NLT). He added, “Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together” (Matthew 19:6 NLT). Let no one split apart what God has joined together. That doesn’t leave much wiggle room, does it?

Winston Churchill said during World War II, “Wars are not won through evacuation.” The same is true of marriage. It’s a commitment until death do us part.

Reflection Question: What does a healthy, God-honoring marriage look like? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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