Marriage is much more than just a wedding celebration or a change of status. It has a bigger and deeper meaning. If you’ve ever attended a wedding and have taken a moment to analyze the picture in a spiritual sense, you’ll see how the image of God is all over. The bride represents the church, and the father walking her down the aisle represents the Holy Spirit, who is bringing her to the groom, Jesus. This picture of marriage is interwoven throughout scripture. The Bible starts and ends with a marriage, with the creation of Adam and Eve and the return of Jesus for his bride, the church. So as we can see, marriage is not only a big deal, but it was also God’s idea from the very beginning. At times we might be tempted to only focus on how high or how far we can get with our relationships, but instead let us focus on who binds us together, the Holy Spirit. If we make Jesus our foundation, we can live secure and confident in our relationships, displaying the gospel to the world around us.

Marriage is not completion, it’s a new creation

1. Smaller

While the weight of marriage and relationships is big, the small things should never be overlooked.

As the keys in a piano are limited yet make endless melodies, so can the little things in life create endless beauty.  For example, being more intentional with our speech, celebrating others, and choosing to see the 80% good in people rather than the 20% bad are sure ways to start the journey to healthier relationships.

2. Deeper

If we don’t dig, we won’t go deep. Relationships take real work, and oftentimes there’s some dirt along the way. Don’t let the mess hinder you from the meaning. Our relationships are some of the most valuable things we hold. A relationship is the sum of two healthy individuals.

Intimate relationships tend to expose our values. When you spend a lot of time with a person, you start to see their true nature. A healthy relationship will help you strengthen good values and encourage you to work on your weaknesses. It will sharpen who you are and lift you up when you're feeling down. Who we choose to walk our life with is crucial. When we surround ourselves with people who live in God's purpose to lift the name of Jesus, we become stronger than we think. We are all created uniquely as individuals but stand united as the beautiful bride of Christ.