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Last night we attended a 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration. The bride still had her wedding dress and photos chronicled the people and events that helped shaped the life they’ve shared. A lot of planning and work went into the party. A lot of planning and work went into the marriage.

As I sat listening to their sons and friends talk about the couple I couldn’t help thinking about commitment two people have to make to end up where our friends are. Married for 50 years. Marriage is hard work. But, it has great benefits and a symbolic meaning that’s lost on those who don’t know God. Marriage is an illustration of the relationship between Christ and His church. If reflecting that high and holy union was the aim of both partners Marriage counselors would be out of work.

An undercurrent of self seeking erodes the foundation of any marriage, but for Christians it drains the spiritual energy turning wedded bliss to wedded mess.
When I think about my marriage in terms of just us two, and I forget that God has a greater purpose, I rob myself of deeper motivation to make it work. To let love instruct my actions and responses. To aspire to let God create between us a truly holy and beautiful thing.

It’s not the number of years that really denotes the success of a marriage, but the extent to which that marriage is an accurate reflection of Christ and His church.

No wonder God intended us to spend ‘until death do us part’ working at it!