Has marriage been demoralized to this?  It’s no wonder that divorce is rampant in this country today.  Our children are growing up in a society that says “Oh well, if this doesn’t work I can quit, it’s no big deal”.  They see this kind of thing on t.v. and are led to believe it is just a “thing to do”.  Marriage is more than just a “thing to do”.

Now before I go any further let me say that I do understand that there are some circumstances that are beyond our control and I don’t believe that any person should stay in a relationship that is abusing, physically or mentally.  That being said, marriage today does not seem to be regarded as the sacred institution that Christ created.  Marriage is not just a contract between a husband and wife that can be dissolved at will.  It is a covenant that two people enter into together by the grace of God.

            Marriage is not always easy, and anyone that says it is 50-50 give and take has probably never been married.  It is usually more give than take.  But I have always found that in life the more you give the more you get back.  This is true in marriage also.  I have pondered this for a long time and I came up with this – Marriage is like a garden.  First you need good soil, and a good marriage starts with a good foundation.  A gardens main reason for being planted is to produce fruit (flowers and food).  A marriage between husband and wife is most importantly to produce children.  Gardening takes time, care and patience.  The more time and care you put into it the more fruitful and beautiful it will become.  Occasionally you get weeds and insects that can do it harm but with patience and perseverance these obstacles can be overcome.  Marriage is the same.  It takes care and time to strengthen and problems can and will arise but working together and with the help of God it can grow into a beautiful and stronger relationship.  As unpleasant as it can be you need to fertilize your garden and occasionally we have to put up with a little “fertilizer” in our marriage but it only works to strengthen it.  You may find that you get bored with your garden and you lose interest and stop tending it.  When this happens it ceases to be beautiful and provide those beautiful flowers and fresh vegetables that you so much enjoy and you realize that to reek the benefits of your garden you are going to have to get back to working at it.  You later come to realize that the work that you have put into it has all been worth while.  The same goes with marriage.  Times will come when you are bored with it or feel it is too difficult to stick with, but you have to stop and realize that over the horizon of these difficult times is a beautiful future.  Yes marriage can be difficult at times, but the rewards of working through those hard times are multiplied more times than you can imagine.

            I don’t believe it was by chance that God first created man and woman together in the middle of a garden.  It was a garden that He tended with His gentle and loving touch and a marriage, when entered with the grace of God will also be nurtured with His loving touch.  May your marriage be blessed with the “green thumb” of His grace.