Marriage is one of God’s greatest gifts. It’s a covenant designed to reflect his love, grow our character, and bless future generations. Hebrews 13:4 says that marriage should be honored by all. Whether you’re married, single, or widowed, Scripture calls every believer to uphold and support marriage as part of a life of worship, generosity, and trust in God. A strong, Christ-centered marriage not only blesses the couple but becomes a powerful testimony of God’s faithfulness to everyone around them.
From an early age I wanted to get married, and 38 years later I still feel the same way about marriage.
October 17, 1987 was a day I’ll never forget. Ronald Reagan was president. The Minnesota Twins crushed St. Louis in Game 1 of the World Series. Gas was 89 cents a gallon. The Cosby Show and MacGyver ruled TV, and The Princess Bride was playing in theaters. Oldsmobile Delta 88 coupes made the perfect first car. Acid-washed jeans were in style, and mullets were everywhere.
But the best part of that day had nothing to do with baseball or fashion. That was the day Julie said “I do.” My marriage to Julie was the beginning of the best years of my life. I had prayed for a wife, and God answered in a way I never could have planned. Julie showed up at my parents’ house to buy their car, and not long after, we started our life together.
“The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.” Proverbs 18:22 (NLT)
I thank God for the way he brought us together, for every year we’ve shared, and for his grace that has carried us through it all.
God’s Blueprint for Marriage
God is the one who defined marriage, and his blueprint has not changed. In Genesis 2:24, he designed marriage for a man to leave his father and mother, unite with his wife, and become one flesh. Jesus reaffirmed this in Matthew 19:5, making it clear that marriage is more than a legal contract. It is a covenant meant to reflect Christ’s relationship with his church (Ephesians 5:25-32). This covenant involves sacrificial love, faithfulness, and a commitment to walk through every season together.
Hebrews 13 provides a wider context that surrounds the instruction to honor marriage. It speaks of love, hospitality, generosity, and trust in God. When you circle the word “marriage” in this passage and look at everything around it, you see that marriage fits into a life of worship and service. God calls the entire church community to honor and support marriage, whether married or single. If you’re not married, you can still honor marriage by encouraging couples, supporting young families, babysitting for parents who need a date night, or offering practical help. As parents, we must learn to let go and allow our children to be loyal first to their spouse, supporting rather than controlling their new household.
Growing Together
A healthy marriage is not built on a 50/50 arrangement where each spouse meets in the middle. The best marriages happen when both give 100 percent. If you want to be treated like a king, treat your wife like a queen. Love seeks to outdo the other in care, kindness, and selflessness. It means asking regularly, “What can I do to be better in this marriage?”
Marriage is not something you master once and then coast. Even after the wedding, you keep learning, keep growing, and keep investing in your relationship. Over the years, you grow in understanding each other’s needs, you learn how to communicate better, and you discover new ways to serve one another. When you get further down the road, you have the privilege of mentoring others, walking alongside younger couples to encourage them in their journey.
Guarding Purity and Contentment
Hebrews 13:4 also calls us to keep the marriage bed pure. Purity protects intimacy, builds trust, and honors God. For couples, this means honesty, forgiveness, faithfulness, and setting wise boundaries. For singles, purity is not just something saved for a future spouse but an offering of worship to the Lord.
Money is another key area where couples must stay united. Hebrews 13:5 instructs us to keep our lives free from the love of money and to be content with what God provides. Many marital conflicts stem from financial stress or differing priorities. Healthy marriages talk through finances together, plan together, and trust God together. Budgeting is not one person’s job; it’s a shared act of stewardship. When couples pray over their finances and make decisions in unity, they honor God and protect their relationship.
Marriage as a Spiritual Picture
Marriage is more than just a partnership. It’s meant to display Christ’s love for the church. Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church, with sacrificial devotion. Wives are called to respect their husbands, and together they model love and respect to a watching world. This is why marriage has the power to shape our lives so deeply. A strong marriage provides stability and strength even when circumstances are difficult. It changes you for the better, sharpening your character, increasing your capacity to love, and giving you opportunities to grow in grace
Marriage is not simply about personal happiness. God uses marriage to make us holy. It refines us, challenges us, and brings out both our strengths and weaknesses. Over time, you grow through the shared joys and trials, learning to love each other as Christ loves us. A good marriage becomes a living testimony to the gospel. Even in its imperfections, it can be one of the most powerful statements of Christ’s love that others will ever witness.
A Joyful and Sacred Covenant
Marriage is one of the clearest ways we can live out the gospel before a watching world. When we honor God’s design, give ourselves fully, guard what matters, and keep Christ at the center, our homes become places where his grace is seen and felt. Marriage can also be one of the greatest sources of joy in life as two people walk with God together through every season. Whether you’re married, single, or somewhere in between, God invites all of us to value and support this sacred covenant.
I’d love for you to hear more of what I shared in this message. You can listen to it here.
Two Video Shorts