Marriage-Spoilage or Salvage?

The Bible says that the institution of marriage is honourable in all. Marriage has been defined as a covenant of faith, and not a legal contract (Malachi 2:14). It was God who initiated the marriage between Adam and Eve. Jesus performed his first miracle in a wedding house. There is a wedding feast waiting for us in heaven where and when we will dine with our bridegroom Jesus. On the other hand, the first attack came upon the first family to usurp them from their heavenly bliss of marriage. From then on marriage was not always a bed of roses. There are more marriages that get spoilt even today. Can marriages be saved and be a “Heaven on Earth” experience?

Simultaneous Spoilers

Temptation to go wrong has come upon couples from the beginning like in the case of Adam and Eve. The first one and only commandment on obedience was given to Adam. We do not know at what level the communication went wrong between Adam and Eve. It could have been with the source-Adam or the receiver-Eve. Even while Eve was about to disobey, Adam was in her close vicinity only. However be the case, both disobeyed! Both failed to instruct one another! Disaster followed! (Genesis 2 & 3)

Ahab, an Israelite king has been credited with the following comment in history: There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife (1 Kings 21:25). Neither of the two was good enough to instruct the other spouse to stop injustice which  they together caused to an innocent citizen of their kingdom. Both Ahab and Jezebel faced gruesome deaths there after!

Ananias and Sapphira was a couple belonging to the early church. Their bond was so strong that they both said the same lie of keeping a part of the money which otherwise had to be given for the needs of the church.  They both had agreed together to test the Lord on this aspect. This led them to the tragic consequences of a death for both on the same day (Acts 5:1-11).

Saviour Spouses

There were occasions when one of the spouses was wise enough to stop an impending danger. Like in the case of Abigail, whose husband Nabal was surly and mean in his dealings with king David who was a fugitive then.  David became so furious of Nabal to the extent that he said, “Be it ever so severely if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!" But Abigail was an intelligent woman who could discern that her husband’s dealing with David was wrong. She acted smart by providing the mundane needs of the king! She later updated the developments to Nabal when he was in a sober mood. However Nabal died of a heart failure. But Abigail could save the lives of the rest of her male belongings. She was saved from her widowhood too, for David married her! (1 Samuel 25)

In the case of Job, he and his wife suffered one disaster after the other. Losing children and property all together was not an easy situation for this couple to handle! Job had an added agony unlike his wife. He He Hwas inflicted with sore boils from head to toe! Job’s wife lost patience and finally yelled, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Job was wise enough in not doing that. After a short period of adversity in their lives, the couple was blessed with prosperity again. What would have happened if Job would have succumbed to the pressures of his wife to curse God and die?

Hosea in the Bible had the most troublesome marriage with his wife Gomer! After knowing about Gomer’s adulterous relationship, Hosea still married her! Hosea found that the third child she bore was not his. Still he provided the needs of Gomer which her lovers also availed! (Hosea 2:8) The climax was: Gomer was sold as a slave by one of her lovers! Hosea still went to the extent of redeeming her by buying her! (Hosea 3:2) The world may term a person like Hosea a “fool,” but in a marriage with God’s help one can be as forgiving and loving like Hosea! If Hosea had not reflected God’s love with his wife Gomer, their marriage would have been ruined! The message of the real story of the book of Hosea in the Bible is that God loves the unfaithful ones like Gomer, provides their needs and redeems them from the bondage of sin! To redeem us, Jesus bought us with a costly price by giving His life on the cross! There is hope for a hopeless marriage because the resurrected Jesus gives hope of every kind to those who believe in Him!

There is always hope for all, even for couples who simultaneously spoil their marriages. At the most there can be “one” saviour among the two who can work through the grace of God to save their marriage. All one has to do for this to happen is to be a child of God to showforth His characters! John 1:12 says “All who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” No wonder, children of the living God imbibe wisdom, love, and forgiveness from their heavenly father to save their marriages! Yes, marriages can be a Heaven on Earth experience! Why Not?