Marriage is a covenant between a man and woman, to remain faithful to each other until death. Marriage is not based on one’s affections for each other, for emotions come and go. It does not mean staying in love or feeling the same butterflies all the time. Long lasting marriages exist because of the husband and wife’s decision to stick to the promise they made in front of God.
The definition of marriage in our society today has been transformed and altered so drastically that the holiness of marriage has been stripped. The option of divorce causes marriage to no longer truly represent God’s faithfulness to his people. Divorce serves as an easy escape and encourages couples to act spontaneously and irrationally. The idea of divorce has been around for so long that our society is numb to the negative impacts and shame that comes with it. Many people consider divorce a solution to their problems when they feel that their affections for each other have disappeared. This is because society has taught us that marriage is about finding a significant other who makes you feel good. If that person does not make you feel good anymore, then that person is not the right person for you. This perspective is focused on the self; instead of what God intended marriage to be. One of God’s intent in marriage is for us to learn what sacrificial love is, and by His grace and power, keep the covenant in a demonstration of God’s love for us.Marriage was never meant to be easy or stress-free. Marriage requires that both husband and wife display God’s sacrificial love towards each other. It means doing things one may not necessarily want to do, and serving each other in selfless ways. Marriage requires forgiveness for and from each other when either one is wronged. Above all else, marriage means a life-long commitment especially during the times when one wants to give up.
Marriage can be the most challenging thing one will ever face, but it can also be the best way that one can glimpse God’s love and covenant with us.
婚姻是一男一女至死相隨的一個承諾。婚姻並不是建基於彼此間的戀慕，和起伏不定的激情上﹔也不是立足在患得患失、常常沐浴在愛河中的那種感覺上。婚姻之可以恆久不變，是因為丈夫和妻子都願意持守他們在神面前的承諾。
今天的社會，已把婚姻的義意徹底的改變及扭曲。婚姻神聖的一面，也被剝奪了。離婚這選擇，令婚姻再不能成為神對衪子民的忠誠的一個表徵。離婚無異是條容易的捷徑，因此，讓很多夫婦作出沒有深思熟慮，甚至只是一時衝動的決定。也許，是因為離婚這個概念存在久遠，人們早已對它所帶來的羞辱，及負面影嚮，視若無睹。當戀慕之情漸漸消逝之時，許多人會考慮用離婚來解決問題。因為週遭的環境，不正是在教導我們，婚姻就是找一個能令你感到舒暢的人嗎﹖！如果這個人不能給我這份感覺，也就證明了他/她並不是我的真命天子。這個以自我為中心的觀點，當然不是神設立婚姻的原意。衪設立婚姻的其中一個原因，乃是要我們學習何謂犧牲捨身的愛，靠著衪的能力和恩典，努力持守婚姻盟約，從而彰顯神對我們的愛。
婚姻從來沒有容易，或毫無壓力的含意。婚姻要求丈夫和妻子兩方面，都要以上帝犧牲的愛相待；無私地彼此服侍，甚至為對方做些自己不一定願意做的事；當對方犯錯時，能彼此饒恕。最重要的是，特別當其中一方想要放棄的時候，要切記婚姻是個承諾，是一生一世的承諾！
婚姻可能是人生最大的一個挑戰，然而，它也可能是我們經歷神對我們所立那愛的盟約，最好的途徑。
◎ Cathy Huang, 女, 19 歲