The Preparation: 7-Day Devotional for the Soon-to-Be Wifeنموونە

Wedding Ring: A Love That Lasts

When Damien and I first got married, I initially declined a wedding ring because I didn’t want it to mess up the style of my engagement ring. I loved the simplicity and daintiness of it. However, a few months after our wedding, strangers would look at my ring and comment on how beautiful it was and then would proceed to ask me when the wedding was. After this scenario played out more times than I could count, I told Damien that I now wanted a wedding ring. He proceeded to tell me he would get me one for our 1-year anniversary. A few weeks later, Damien woke up from his sleep and just blurted to me “God told me to buy you a ring for your birthday. He said you are a wife now and not a fiancé.” Granted, my birthday was just a week away and we didn’t really know how we were going to pay for one. You see, we were on our debt-free journey. Nonetheless, money randomly came in a day before my birthday and I got my wedding ring. Won’t He do it! In today’s devotional, I’m holding your wedding ring. This symbolizes covenant and agape love.

1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT) says,

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

I want to make sure that you understand that marriage is a covenant, not a piece of paper that can be ripped up when someone no longer feels like doing it anymore. In order to help uphold the covenant, you are going to need agape love (and tons of forgiveness). Agape love is the highest form of love that is unconditional and makes sacrifices. It is not based on feelings but is a choice. This agape love never gives up on your marriage or on your spouse. It doesn’t lose faith in God to sustain your marriage. It hopes for the best in your spouse and in your marriage. Agape love endures through every fiery circumstance that is thrown it's way. Just like how a gold wedding ring can withstand fire, I pray that your future marriage will be able to not only withstand the fire but also be purified by it. So when you look down at your ring, know that it is continuous. Though your covenant will end on this side of eternity when death does you and your spouse part, your covenant with God will be forever and ever. We can be sure of that because just like how God sent the money for Damien and I to get my wedding ring, He sent the price for this eternal covenant to be made by sending Jesus to die for our sins. He has sealed us with His Holy Spirit as assurance like an engagement ring until He returns. Now that’s some agape love!

Prayer

Father, thank You for the covenant You have made with me. I thank You that You will never leave me or forsake me. I pray that my soon-to-be husband and I will view marriage as a covenant. I pray we will choose to love each other not only with our feelings but also with our choices. I put my trust in You to sustain, protect, and bless our marriage. Help me to uphold and do my part in this future covenant marriage. May it glorify You until we reach the other side of eternity. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.