1. Together Forever:
Covenant Marriage

2. What is a covenant?
“A solemn bond between two or more persons” (Children’s Catechism).
Not a 50/50 contract that can be amended or revoked.
A total commitment of 100/100, regardless of the other person’s contribution; broken only be death.

3. Marriage vow:
“I, ________, take thee, ________, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, so help me God.”

4. Biblical mandate:
Background: “be subject to every human institution”, i.e., in family, church, government, and employment relationships (I Pet. 2:13-17).
Example: “Christ...leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (vv ).
“Likewise, wives”: (a) be subject to your own husbands; (b) gentle and quiet spirit. This is TRUE BEAUTY. (I Pet. 3:1-6).
“Likewise, husbands”: (a) live with your wives in an understanding way; (b) showing honor to her. This is TRUE STRENGTH. (v. 7).
Why? “You are heirs together of the grace of life.” True Beauty + True Strength = True Grace.

5. Covenant distinctives:
Unity (Malachi 2:14 “Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?”)
Exclusivity
Permanence
Intimacy (Gen. 2:24, I Cor. 6:16 – “the two shall become one flesh”; see Prov. 5: 15-20).
Self-sacrifice (Eph. 6:25 “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”)
Ask yourself: “Does this [job, activity, relationship] promote oneness?”

6. 1. Jealously guard your heart.
Choose faithfulness, both physically and emotionally.
“The LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant….So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless” (Malachi 2:14-15).

7. 2. Build healthy marital habits.
Develop patterns of life, to keep growing together:
Spiritually (worship, prayer, devotional study),
Emotionally (communicate feelings, goals, fears, etc.),
Intellectually (take on new crafts, projects, books, etc.),
Physically (recreation, routine exercise, sexual harmony).
Both family time and couple time must be intentional, or couple time won’t happen.

8. 3. Cultivate good memories.
Celebrate life events (anniversaries, birthdays, holidays).
Make vacation (both family and couple get-away) a priority.
Create a photobook, video, or other “remembrance” of your travels and recreation together.
Give yourself margin to enjoy the day-to-day. (Capacity – load = margin).

9. 4. Appreciate contentment.
Accept and overlook imperfection. (You are no paragon of perfection yourself.)
Learn to look at the positive side: “Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many” (Eccles. 11:7-8).
Ask for the grace of contentment: “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content…..I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4: 11, 13).

10. 5. Accommodate change.
Adaptability is a crucial life skill: “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need” (Phil. 4:12).
“Learning how to recover and how long to rest a past-50 body is the most important skill you can develop” (Cycling Past 50, Joe Friel, Human Kinetics, 1998).

11. How can I do all this? With God’s help!
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).