Slideshow image

Love and Marriage

He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  Ephesians 5:28

There are three elements to a successful marriage. The first is love--not just an emotional feeling or a physical attraction, but a deep commitment to put the other person first. The apostle Paul defined love beautifully in 1 Corinthians 13. Read it and you will know how God defines love. Men are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. What woman wouldn't respond to such a selfless expression of love?

Maturity is the second ingredient in a successful marriage. Too many are getting a divorce at the first sign of trouble. Maturity means a willingness to act responsibly and not take the easy way out.

Third, faith must be an ingredient for a marriage to be successful. Marriage is difficult, but without Christ at the center of a marriage and a home, it becomes even more difficult. Put differently, it takes three to make a great marriage: you, your spouse, and Christ. I have seldom seen a marriage fail when the husband and wife pray and worship God together.

From, HOPE for Each Day: Morning & Evening Devotions, by Billy Graham.