The Treasure of Marriage

This time of year always reminds me of the wonderful day I met my husband.  It was at a 4th of July picnic in Rome, GA - a looooonnnggg time ago - almost 20 years now.  That time frame doesn’t seem possible, but as most of you will attest, time flies when you’re having fun. 

Steve jokingly always says that I “saw him and had to have him.”  Of course, there was quite a bit more to it than that, and one day I’ll have to write it all down for you.  It’s an amazing story, full of God’s intricate timing and unexpected surprises. 

God gave us each other that day...and has blessed us abundantly through this gift of marriage. Sometimes though, I lose sight of that.  I lose sight of what a GIFT I have in my husband, and I take God’s gift for granted. 

For example, the other day I just plain woke up on the wrong side of the bed.  (I know none of you ever do that!)  Things continued to get on my nerves until by the end of the day, I was simply “not nice” to my husband.  Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t yelling at him or throwing things.  I just wasn’t being very nice.  Period.  

The next morning, I got up early and went to spend some time with the Lord.  Still a little grumpy from the night before, I plopped down in my chair and pulled out my Bible.  I just opened it.  I didn’t try to find a verse.  I didn’t get out my devotional book.  I just opened my Bible and began to read. 

Oh how thankful I am for God’s gentle rebukes.  He doesn’t cram judgement down my throat - unless I really need it!  Instead, He gently shows me things in His Word and lets the Spirit do His work.  

I began reading that morning in Malachi 2.  The first part of the passage immediately got my attention.  “And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.  If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings.  Yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart.” 

Pretty powerful stuff, huh?  So, I read on, fully expecting to read more of the dreadful things Judah had done against God, and His judgement upon them.  Then, I reached verse 11: “Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, for Judah has profaned the Lord’s holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god.” 

My eyeballs stopped dead in their tracks.  I read part of the verse again...the Lord’s holy institution which He loves...the Lord’s holy institution which He loves...the Lord’s holy institution which He loves.  I, in no way, had committed the sin that Judah had.  After all, Steve was a Believer.  I HAD however, taken the gift which is holy...which God loves...for granted.  I had, in essence, turned my nose up at my marriage and at my God who had given that gift it to me.  

It would sort of be like you giving someone you love, something very valuable and precious.  They received your gift, gladly, but then put it down to be trampled on the ground, instead of holding it close to their body and protecting it. 

Think I’m taking this analogy too far?  After all, it wasn’t like I screamed at him or took His favorite coffee cup and smashed it against the wall.  I just let him know that I wasn’t happy with him...in a smart-elec, kinda way. 

No, I don’t think that analogy is a stretch by any means.  God said marriage is His HOLY INSTITUTION WHICH HE LOVES.  Anytime I neglect a gift that God has given me - whatever it is - I have wronged Him,  no matter how small the neglect may seem. 

So, what’s the point?  The point is...you and I need to take our marriages seriously.  We need to protect them from little grumblings and bad attitudes.  We must give our husband/wife precedence over how we feel at the moment, and if he/she has done something to aggravate us, we must make it right with God and then with them.  We should never just go to bed grumpy and by doing so take the beautiful gift that God has given us in marriage, for granted.  We must cherish it as God does and treat it as His holy institution which He loves. 

Jesus, we really do want to honor You with our lives...with our marriages.  We want to bring You glory, by showing others the reality of Your love, through the gift You have called marriage.  We are a picture of Your covenant love towards those who believe.  May that picture be an accurate representation of You.  Forgive us when we falter in that and teach us to how to hold Your gift as a precious and prized possession.  We love You, Jesus.  Teach us we pray.