Digging Your Family Garden (2)

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the concluding part of this edition. In the last edition, I explore the place of digging into God’s Word to establish our desires for our families. Today, I shall examine The Realities of the Covenant of Marriage.

Many people, including Christians, have a misconception about marriage. Some think it is just the coming together of a man and a woman to bear children. Some others think it is a kind of friendship or relationship. Scripturally, marriage is a covenant, and until you have this understanding, you may never enjoy fulfilment in your family. Marriage is first a covenant between God and the couple and then between the couple. So, when entering into a marriage relationship, it is important to know you are entering into a covenant with God and your spouse. Malachi 2:14says: Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and … the wife of thy covenant.

What is a covenant? A covenant is an agreement between two people. It is a relationship that must not be broken, and if it is ever broken, a penalty follows suit. A covenant is also for a lifetime. I believe strongly what Ecclesiastes 10:8 says: …He that breaketh the edge, a serpent shall bite him. A promise can be claimed, but a covenant cannot. In a covenant, you have to abide by some rules and regulations, and as you do, you enjoy the benefits therein. When you walk in terms of the covenant, God fulfils His own part of the covenant. Therefore, success in marriage is not a function of prayers; it is basically a function of walking with the terms of the covenant. The only place prayer is needed is for divine grace to walk in line with the demands of the covenant. Prayer can never take the place of obedience to the terms of the covenant. Instead of going from place to place seeking solutions to the problems of your family, settle down for knowledge of your covenant responsibility and stay committed to its fulfilment.

Husband and wife have covenant obligations to each other for which they will also be held accountable. Your responsibility to obey the terms of the covenant is not dependent on your spouse fulfilling his or her own part. As far as God is concerned, you have been given an individual responsibility, and you must be accountable to Him for its fulfilment. The failure on the part of your spouse for the non-performance of his or her responsibility is not a sufficient excuse for your non-performance.

God is a God of covenants, and the benefits of His covenants are only available to those who have a covenant relationship with Him. therefore, if you are not born again, please say this prayer of faith:

You can become a part of those in covenant with Him by inviting Jesus Christ into your heart as your Lord and personal Saviour, as you pray this simple prayer with me: Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner, and I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. From today, Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now, I am Born Again.

Congratulations! You are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave or forsake you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21). With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace, in Jesus’ name! Please write or call to share your testimonies with me through oyedepofaitha@gmail.com OR 08141320204 and 07026385437.

For more insight, these books, authored by me, are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian Bookstores: Covenant Pathways to a Hitch-free Marriage, Experiencing the Best of Marriage, Family and Parenting, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Family, Success in Marriage (Co-Authored) Marriage Covenant.