February 6 I Thursday

Exodus 39-40

Matthew 23:23-39

“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the LORD.”  —Proverbs 18:22

Responsible for writing the majority of the Book of Proverbs, Solomon knew a lot about marriage. In fact, Scripture records that Solomon married 700 wives, which included daughters from the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. In addition to his 700 wives, he also had 300 concubines, who are women he kept “on the side.” Suffice to say, Solomon was a connoisseur of marriage but it was also because of his many marriages that he was led astray in the end: “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been”
(1 Kings 11:4).

Despite Solomon’s polygamist life, an important aspect to observe is that all the teachings in the Book of Proverbs are about one man married to one woman for life. This is consistent through the whole of Scripture and its teachings on marriage: one man and one woman, as long as both are living.

Most of us are interested in marriage. Especially when we come into adulthood, many of us want to marry. Why? In the beginning, when God created everything, He saw that everything was good. Before the Fall took place and sin entered the world in Genesis 3, there was one thing that God said was “not good.” When God looked at man, He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). God created, as part of perfection, man as a social being. God engineered our need for friendship, fellowship and companionship; in fact, it is a weakness to be self-sufficient.

God created marriage between one man and one woman and marriage is a good thing. But as every good thing needs working on, a good marriage does not just happen. Marriages are the results of a lot of thought, discipline, time, consideration, unselfishness, forgiveness and love. Even when times become difficult, it is about learning to strengthen each other as Proverbs 15:17 tells us, “Better a dish of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.” Our relationships are more important than our material comforts and assets. This is echoed in Proverbs 17:1, “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.”

Marriage is a good thing, but marriage is not a means to an end. For those who are married, would we commit to constantly sacrifice ourselves for another out of love?

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for creating marriage as a good thing. Help me to love my spouse with Your sacrificial love. Amen!