Commitment is a thing of the past it seems. People break their word all the time. Make promises they don’t mean or really ever meant in the first place. People back out of relationships or situations when they get hard, uncomfortable, or no longer what they expected or wanted. People aren’t dedicated to improvement. So when the going gets tough, most people get going. It is truly sad because during the hard times is when we grow and learn the most. It ks the relationships we’ve had for years that mean the most. But commitment is hard and humanity is fickle and often weak minded so we take the easy way out and break our commitments.
This attitude is particular true in marriage. When the relationship becomes tiresome (which it sometimes will) or when it becomes hard (which it most definitely will) or when it just isn’t the relationship it once was (which happens), many folks cut bait. They aren’t committed to the relationship until death but instead they are committed until it isn’t what they want anymore.
Marriage is a full lifelong commitment. And when you agree to enter it, you are no longer living a life just for you but your life now is directly linked to your partners. You’ve decided to yield some of your life’s autonomy to your spouse. You’ve also committed love and enjoy marriage intimacy – physical and emotional – with your spouse. You belong to each other.
It is a mutual decision and promise. I am yours and You are mine. And marriage relationships fall apart when one of the two involved no longer see themselves as belonging to their solely to their spouse. They no longer see or want their spouse as their only partner life so they look else where. This happens for a variety of reasons but ultimately the root cause of this is a lack of true commitment.
Commitment is on true display when things are hard and when relationships aren’t going the way you wanted. If you aren’t truly commitment, then the going gets tough, you will get going because it is the easier option. And we like easy things.
Does this mean there are never circumstances where leaving the relationship is acceptable to God? No. But those circumstances are incredibly rare. Instead, God wants us to live a life committed to our spouse. Why? Why is this so important?
Well, we need to remember that God frequently uses the relationship as a symbol for His relationship with His people we get close to understanding. God was committed to Israel. He forgave their lack of commitment to Him. He forgave them repeatedly. He stayed true to them even when they were not true to Him. God is just as committed to His people today – He sent Jesus to save the relationship. If God is that committed to us, He expects us to be that committed to Him. And the marriage relationship is one way that we exercise commitment. And the marriage relationship is one way that we exercise commitment and practice that commitment.
Commitment is hard. You’ve got to work hard. You’ve got to put yourself last. You’ve got to learn patience. You’ve got to learn to love and be kind when you don’t want to or perhaps you even think your spouse doesn’t derseve it. You’ve got to learn to find joy in serving. You’ve got to be merciful and full of grace because your spouse isn’t perfect. They will let you down. They will hurt you. You’ve got to be forgiving.
Notice a theme? Thes are all traits God expects us to live. Why? Because they make us more like Him. God is perfectly and completely committed to us. He does all of this for all of us every single day. He is life long and eternally committed to us. H will never break His commitment to us.
If we cannot be committed to our spouse, whom we see every day. How can we be truly committed to the Lord? Marriage is one type of relationship our commitment is tested and developed. And since that is how God sees His relationship with His people as a marriage – our earthly marriages are proving and testing ground of our commitment.
I belong to my husband and He belongs to me. But for children of God this should mean deeper to us because we know how God views His relationship with His people. A marriage. An eternal commitment.
Ultimately, we are to the Lord’s, and He is ours.
Adonai's Appeal 