I saw on the Internet the other day a very good point about love and marriage. Love in a marriage is a lot like running a marathon. One needs endurance, courage, keep a good frame of mind, stay motivated to finish the course. And these are the kinds of qualities we need in loving our spouses in marriage. We must stay the course with an enduring love. Keeping a right frame of mind about our relationship of marriage. We see these kinds of qualities described in Paul’s description of love in 1 Cor.13. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” vs.4-8, ESV. We have far too many in our world that take the marriage vows as, “In health, richer, better” is the only way they will abide in the relationship. The other side of the marriage vows, “in sickness, for poorer, for worse” has no place in these fair weather spouses. Things get a little tough and it’s bye-bye Charlie. But as the marathon runner does, he or she will not quit when some pain of leg cramps sets in, or if they hurt in their side, or they are sweating up a storm, or they are thirsty and hungry. No, they keep pushing on. That is the kind of love we need in our homes, love that does not give in or give up to the pain and problems of life and relationships. To those people that have taken seriously the promise they make, “till death do us part.” Yes beloved, this a great point, love is a marathon. May we work to nurture and foster this kind of love in our hearts, committed to our promises.
