Live Out Your Marriage Covenant

Since most of us were married in a ceremony that did not emphasize the marriage covenant, consider five ideas that will make a covenantal commitment a reality in your marriage:

1. Pray together every day as a couple. When Barbara and I were first married, I asked a man I highly respected for his best counsel on marriage. He told me, “I’ve prayed every day with my Sara Jo for more than twenty-five years. Nothing has built our marriage more than our prayer time together.” Barbara and I usually pray together before going to sleep, but on some nights neither of us has felt like praying. The Lord has gently reminded me, You need to pray with her. And even though on occasion I haven’t even wanted to talk to her, I have finally rolled over and said, “Let’s pray.” Our obedience to this spiritual discipline has reminded us of the real Source of strength in our marriage and has kept us connected and communicating.

2. Never use the D word. Marriage is tough, and at times every one of us probably has thought about giving up. The keyword is thought. No matter how hopeless the situation seems or how lousy you feel, I urge you not to say the D word — divorce — in your home. In Proverbs 18:21 we read, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Words have power. If you first think about divorce and then talk about it, before long what was once unthinkable becomes an option.

3. Sign a marriage covenant. Whether you are newlyweds or have been married for years, why not consider having a covenant-signing ceremony? You could do this with other couples at your church or in your home with witnesses from your family or close friends.

4. Do what you promised. It won’t make any difference ultimately if you sign a piece of paper but later break your covenant. Don’t let temptations and conflicts keep you from finishing strong in your marriage and family. Don’t let go! Fulfill your vows.

5. Urge others to keep their covenant. We need to band together in the Christian community to stand for marital commitment and to fight divorce. We serve a God who has gone on record on this topic: “For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce” (Mal. 2:16). We need to combat divorce in the most positive way—by honoring our covenants and encouraging others to do the same.

Taken from FamilyLife Marriage Bible