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| Marriage is one of such adventure... You are bound by oath before God from its inception to remain faithful till death. |
Extrapolation of high divorce rate in the twenty-twenty-first century infers that
most couples exchanging marital vows meant to say, " For better we Stay for worse we Divorce death
don't have to tear us Apart. What's the Court for?"
Here are three reasons why understanding the exchange of
marital vows is so important for Christians:
1. SYMBOLIZES FAITHFULNESS
You don’t need a vow to be someone’s child, brother, sister,
cousin, niece, nephew, friend or neighbour. All human relationships don’t
need a vow to begin except in marriage. When vows are instituted it means
difficult challenges lie ahead. Difficulties that may threaten or shut down
your security completely, except for the vow you’ll otherwise quit. You think
of the military bound by oath to faithfully serve and defend their country till
death and doctors who are bound by the Hippocratic Oath to save lives at all
cost. Marriage is one of such adventure, you don’t quit when you feel like it.
You are bound by oath before God from its inception to remain faithful till death. Ever
wonder why it is possible for God to faithfully and patiently love us? God made
an oath to that effect. That is how powerful and important marital vows are.
Men indeed swear by a greater [than themselves], and with
them in all disputes the oath taken for confirmation is final [ending strife]. Accordingly
God also, in His desire to show more convincingly and beyond doubt to those who
were to inherit the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose and plan,
intervened (mediated) with an oath. Hebrews
6:16-17 Amplified
2. A CONSECRATION OF TOLERANCE
People admit they cheat because their spouse is not good
enough in bed. That they got angry because of the character flaw of their partner.
They physically abuse their soul mate because they felt insulted by his/her
action. They quit their marriage passing on the buck to the next person. Your
vow makes it clear you have pictured every worst case scenario and you are willingly
to be offended, angry, feel insulted, live with crushed ego, learn, re learn, unlearn,
endure bodily hurt (if they occur), embrace habits and character flaws to
remain married. This is the reason you said, “For worse”. When two people with human imperfections come together
to live under a roof such is to be expected. Even when a couple refuse to say,
"For Worse" during the exchange of vows, people are imperfect in
themselves and you ought not to expect a miraculous perfection because they said,
“I do”. The tongue is pleased to
dwell with the teeth after being bitten severally because it has learnt to heal
and endure the pain. Marital vow is a consecration of tolerance even in worst
case scenarios.
Love bears up under
anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every
person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures
everything [without weakening]. 1 Corinthians
13:7 Amplified
3. IT GENERATES ACCESS TO FORGIVENESS
In Matthew chapter nineteen, the Pharisees came to Jesus
asking about the subject of divorce. He told the Jews that divorce existed
under the Law because of the Hardness of their hearts but What God has
joined together let no man put asunder. Essentially, Jesus was saying that marriage
relationship is held together by the fabric of forgiveness (even in the case of
sexual unfaithfulness). That was why His disciples didn’t see any goodness in marriage
at that moment. Your marital vow ensures forgiveness is available to your partner
no matter what he/she does. Having knowledge that you cannot divorce your
partner, you’ll both have to find a way to live with each other by letting go
of wrongs. God’s condition for divorce (only in the case of adultery) is so
extreme that forgiving your partner is comparatively easier. That is why the Christian marriage is a reflection of our relationship with Christ. When you
see a couple who have faithfully preserved their marriage, you are looking at
two people who have yielded themselves to God’s kind of forgiveness.
Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one
another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the
offenses of others]. 1 Peter 4:8
Amplified
Every man shall bear his own burden (Gal 6:5) and in this case your partner
is that burden. You should bear one another’s burdens too (Gal 6:2). Marriage is for life as God ordained it. You cannot
chicken out on your partner. About getting married? May I suggest you count the
cost so it doesn’t become too much to count later on. Temporarily separated
from your soul mate? There is no greener pasture elsewhere. Over time people became
good painters that’s all. Add green colour to your pasture. For better and for worse keep painting and don’t quit.
Live joyfully with the wife
(or husband) whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given
you under the sun — all the days of futility. For that is your portion in this
life and in your work at which you toil under the sun. Ecclesiastes 9:9 Amplified
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