December 30 - Marital Faithfulness

The Proverbs tell us about a virtuous wife as priced above rubies. Her husband trusts her and is not in lack of anything. All through her life, she only does good to her husband and family. Working hard to provide, she makes sure everyone in her household are taken good care of. Using her two hands, she makes profits and reinvests them. With the money she has made, she takes care of the poor and the needy people in her community. She supports her husband to be a leader in the city and he is known among others. What a perfect picture of a wife.

However, not everyone can say that they have such perfect spouses. Marriage is in disrepairs in today’s world. Divorces, marriage and family breakups are so common that they affect up to half of the marriages. Sins of adultery, extramarital affairs and unhappy marriages are seen everywhere. The root of unfaithfulness, according to the prophet Malachi, comes with our unfaithfulness to the Lord. Time and again, the prophets used the metaphor of marriage to symbolize the relationship between God and Israel.

Malachi asked, “Have we not all one Father? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?” This unfaithfulness to God and the covenant has spilled out into their marriages: “You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because …. The Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.” God has made them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union so that they may have godly offspring”. God hates divorce and He abhors marital unfaithfulness.

So if we are unfaithful to our spouses, we re wearying the Lord with our words. Our prayer would not be heard as tears from our spouses have covered the altar of God. A Christian with an unhappy marriage not only defeats the purpose of marriage, it also bring grief to God and our children. So Malachi tells the people to guard their spirit and not to be faithless. The reason for our marital unfaithfulness is because of our spiritual unfaithfulness to God. The man who does not love his wife but divorces her covers his garment with violence!

If you are married, check your relationship with your spouse. Are you faithful in all your ways? Do you honor the marriage covenant and the vows you have spoken to each other? Are your children blessed because of your marriage? Do you set a good example to them in your sacrificial love to one another? Do you pray with your spouse on a regular basis? Is there a family altar at your home? Begin to be faithful to God and to your spouse. Pray that your marriage may glorify God.