Love in marriage becomes all the more effective when it expresses itself in terms of mutual regard, helpfulness, and loyalty. Much good material has been written on the subject, but nothing surpasses the words of St. Paul in Ephesians 5. He tells husbands and wives to love each other. Such love looks away from selfishness, from self-fulfillment at the cost of love to the other spouse. In marriage, the partners nourish and cherish their mutual relationship, sacrificing personal advantage for its sake. The apostle declares as he introduces this section, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ"(v. 21).
In a good marriage relationship husbands and wives add loyalty to love. They come to each other’s defense. A good example of that is found in United States history. On June 25, 1875, at Little Big Horn in Montana, General George A. Custer and his 26 member Seventh Cavalry Regiment were defeated and died in battle. When Custer was blamed for this loss, his wife, Elizabeth, spent the next 55 years in writing and lecturing to defend him.
Husbands and wives are not married in heaven, but it is good to note how love and loyalty speak in this world, even when husbands or wives are long dead. Love is enduring.
Love in marriage becomes enduring when it is connected with reverence for Christ, when it comes as a response to Christ’s self-sacrificing love. Christ loves us and gave Himself for us all, that He might redeem us with His blood, and sanctify and cleanse us through His Word and Spirit. There is no other way of salvation: not by works or righteousness we produce - only through the Sacrifice and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
May God grant us saving faith in Jesus Christ alone as Savior, Who helps us live our lives married or not to God’s glory.
Christ's love endures; so can ours, with His help.
