We often refer to Marriage as a covenant between Husband and Wife. What makes this relationship so unique? Here’s some thoughts I have about that. Remember your wedding day? You probably exchanged gifts as a special gesture to your spouse. During the actual ceremony you likely exchanged rings as a token of your love for one another. You vowed that your relationship would last until death came to one of you. That is a “forever” promise. It was witnessed by at least one other person, and officiated by someone representing God.
You conferred legal responsibilities and privileges inherent to the relationship such as property ownership and inheritance rights on the other person. In ancient times makers of covenant might exchange cloaks, symbolizing each was taking on the personage of the other. In marriage there is the act that seals the covenant: sexual union. This makes sex within the bounds of marriage sacred. Periodic sexual union between marriage partners is a restating of that covenant. It is blessed with emotional and spiritual bonding of the partners, creation of new life, and blessed by both families of origin.
Sex outside of the marriage covenant receives no such blessings. These relationships tend to be short lived, less stable and hurtful for women and children who are brought into such relationships. There is no known, embraced past, only the fleeting present, and no anticipated future. Often moving in together is just the next step in the courtship process. Sadly, if women don’t require a long-term commitment, many men won’t give one. It is a myth that living together before marriage will make divorce later on less likely.
God can not bless a relationship that is not part of His plan for intimacy between a man and woman. He does offer much grace, however, for those who step out of an empty relationship and move into covenant with each another. God is a God of redemption and restoration. He longs to bless the union between a man and woman, but on His terms, not our own.
