Marriage In A Pandemic

Oct 7, 2020

Matthew 19: 5-6

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Marriage is forever, ordained by God (Gen. 2:18, 21-24), an institution that is comprehensive and profound. Marriage is a physical union, as well as a spiritual and emotional bond that needs to be prioritised over the other demands in our lives.

Living day to day through a pandemic can be exhausting on many levels and often daily tasks, such as; going to work, preparing dinner, spending time with the kids or finishing odd jobs, become difficult. Throw in anything extra, like the pressure of planning for a healthy marriage, and we can be left feeling overwhelmed.

There is always something calling for our attention, and it is easy to let our relationship with our spouse take a back seat. But marriage is worth fighting for and needs to be made a priority each day to thrive in our busy, complicated lives. So how do we plan for a healthy marriage… during a pandemic?

Planning for your marriage does not need to be a difficult, uphill battle. Simple ways of connecting with your spouse can be done easily at home during this time of isolation.

4 simple ways to PRIORITISE YOUR MARRIAGE

Set specific time aside to connect & communicate (daily)
Do little things to show your spouse love (speaking their love language)
Make goals together (write them down and follow through with flexibility)
Pursue each others passions together

"If you want something to last forever, you treat it differently. You shield it and protect it. You never abuse it. You don’t expose it to the elements. You don’t make it common or ordinary. If it ever becomes tarnished, you lovingly polish it until it gleams like new. It becomes special because you have made it so, and it grows more beautiful and precious as time goes by." – F. Burton Howard

A few practical tips that I have found add value in my marriage:

Praying for my spouse & with my spouse – God is the third strand in our marriages (Ecclesiastes 4:12) and provides the strength needed to thrive as a married couple
Quality time – for us exercise has become our main quality time during this season of isolation (bike rides, walks, basketball, short work outs), as well as an afternoon coffee date to debrief on the day
Meaningful conversation – taking time (as little as 10 minutes) to engage with each other face to face (no screens) and cultivate conversation habits that invest in each others experiences
Intentionally putting each other first – this includes making your spouse the first priority over the kids, chores, etc.

May God’s blessings be upon each marriage in our church, in the name of Jesus I release an outpouring of kingdom peace, strength and rest upon our families during this season.