Covenant Relationships View Commitment As Permanent

Covenant Relationships View Commitment As Permanent
by Dr. Gary Chapman

Signs of permanence embody covenants: Ruth and Naomi, God and Noah, God and Abraham, David and Jonathan are among a few.

"Till death do us part" or "So long as you both shall live," common statements in marriage ceremonies, are statements of covenant. Unquestionably, the covenant is meant to be permanent. This is not a contract for the next five years or until we find a "justifiable reason" to end the marriage.

Some may raise the question, "Should a Christian stay in a marriage that is destructive simply because the Bible holds up the ideal of permanent monogamous relationship?" Such a question is easy to answer from an ivory tower, but it is more difficult to answer in the throes of daily pain.

Unquestionably, the biblical ideal is one man and one woman married to each other for life. As Christians, we must not lower this ideal.

Does this mean, however, that a wife is to remain in a marriage where she is physically abused every weekend by a drunken husband? The answer to this question lies in the fifth characteristic of a covenant (tomorrow....)

This article is taken from Dr. Chapman's book, Now You're Speaking My Language published by Broadman and Holman.

How a Man Prays for His Wife
by John Yates

First, a man who wants to support his wife effectively through prayer must make time to be with her - to hear and understand her.

If you're going to pray for your wife, you've got to know what's going on in her life, what she's doing, what she's thinking, what she's feeling.

This can take a good deal of thoughtfulness and attention on our part. Your wife may not tell you everything that is on her mind. She may be burdened about a child, or fearful for a parent, but not be able to talk about it.

You may have to gently draw it out of her with patient questions. She may have some dreams and desires that are too personal or difficult to talk about. She may be hurting, have been wounded by a friend or beaten down emotionally by someone, but she finds it too painful to talk about.

A wise husband will make it a top priority to be with his wife and to talk to her. As the years go by he may learn to read her and to see beneath the surface.

Content taken directly from How a Man Prays for His Family by John Yates. Published by Family Life Publishing. $8.99.

"Be agitated and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds,

and be silent."

Psalm 4:4

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