‘But ‘God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation. ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”’ Mark 10:6-9(NLT)
‘You can make many plans, but the Lord ’s purpose will prevail.’ Proverbs 19:21(NLT)
‘Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.’ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12(NLT)
Marriage is easy when you’re feeling the love. When you aren’t, marriage feels like a cage. But think about this: what if the cage is there to protect you?
If you were alone and it was dark and you were deep in the jungles of Africa with lions, tigers, leopards, jackals . . . all kinds of hungry animals looking for fresh meat . . . you’d give anything for a cage. You’d gladly lock yourself inside.
Maybe that’s why God created the institution of marriage. Maybe it’s there to protect us from the dangers and the temptations we’re drawn to . . . things that might kill us if we were set free.
Why should we value or protect institutions? Because institutions are ways to sustain important activities over time.
Let’s say there’s a good-hearted doctor who takes care of everyone in his community. What happens when the doctor dies?
We created an institution to sustain the healthcare we all need. The good-hearted doctor is still at the heart of it, but now he’s connected to an institution, the hospital, which is a system that will carry on.
Marriage is sort of like that. It’s a system that carries two people through when they don’t feel love for each other. Consider this . . .
Love initiates marriage. But marriage sustains love.
Remember that God created marriage, and He put you in yours for your benefit. Probably for your protection, as well. Marriage will only be sustained if people think long-term, stay committed even when they don’t feel like it, and trust God for the love and protection He provides through marriage.
Question: Are you actively working to protect your marriage?
from Radical Wisdom: A 7-Day Journey For Husbands by Regi Campbell