I’m Just Simply Saying

We did it! Oh my God we are married! These are statements made by many couples on their wedding day. The excitement, joy, and love they have for each other at this moment is indescribable. They are looking forward to the future they are about to build together. They have discussions about purchasing their first home, having a family, and spending the rest of their lives together. But do they ever discuss the work it will take to sustain their marriage?

Marriage takes work and when the honeymoon is over, it’s time for reality to set in. I have seen couples throw in the towel over trivial issues that could have been worked out. However, they decided not to do what was necessary to save their marriage. This marital journey is not to be taken lightly.

Couples in today’s society are faced with obstacles that my husband and I did not have to contend with. We were not faced with the issues that cell phones, internet, emails, or social media cause. However, the problems we were confronted with we faced them head on together. Here we are 40 years later, still married, and still in love.

I have often read the story of the “Three Little Pigs” to my students and looked at the problems they experienced in building their individual homes. They put a lot of stock in their building materials but underestimated the wolf. I found this story to be fitting to give this analogy of three couples that got married.

Once upon a time, three couples decided to get married. They exchanged their vows before God, family, and friends. Yes, they vowed they would have and hold each other from that day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish. From that day forward until death, they do part.

They went on a romantic getaway to a paradise island. Because they were cut off from everyone and everything, they could love each other day and night.

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After a glorious honeymoon, they all returned home and asked the same question. Well, sweetie, the honeymoon is over. How do we go about building our marital house as husband and wife? However, they all went about it differently.

Sad to say, they had no clue as to what they were about to be faced with. You see God, promotes unity, harmony, and oneness. Satan supports division, discord, and dissension. If we are not careful, he will make us see things through his eyes. Though we know as Christians that God is not the author of confusion, we still will allow ourselves to handle things in an ungodly manner.

But they were newlyweds in love with a lot to learn regarding marriage, and they felt their love was enough to sustain them through whatever was to come. Subsequently, they would soon find out it would take hard work to build their house into a home.

They all decided they didn’t want to rent, but instead acquire something of their own. So, they went about their search in selecting a builder. The first couple decided to purchase a single-wide trailer because it was the cheapest route to go. The realtor tried to discourage the couple by telling them this would be equivalent to building a straw house, but the couple refused to listen. Basically, this means trivial things will become a major issue.

Couple #1

Wife: Why do you take your shoes off and leave them at the front door?

Husband: That’s what I’m accustomed to doing.

Wife: Well, do you think you can take them to the room where they belong and put them in the closet?

Husband: If you want them in there so bad, you can put them there yourself.

Satan can take little issues just like this and make couples feel like they are in

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a hopeless situation.

The second couple informed their realtor they wanted to purchase a modular home and brick around the bottom to make it look like a built house. Their realtor tried to discourage them and advised them this was equivalent to building their home of sticks. But they thought they knew everything they needed to know about marriage. Consequently, they couldn’t be advised of anything. Of course, they lasted a little longer than the couple that purchased the single-wide trailer.

Couple #2

Wife: Why is this unknown number always calling you so frequently?

Husband: What reason do you have to look through my cell phone log?

Wife: Why shouldn’t I? Here’s mine, I don’t have anything to hide. Do you?

This couple’s modular home would later be no match for the tornado that Satan was brewing to hit their marriage. Everything was ruined; nothing could be salvaged in their eyes.

Satan is rejoicing right now because he has been able to get into these first two couple’s homes and infiltrated them to think like him. We need to remember that Satan is doing nothing different, going to and fro seeking whom He can devour. Many times, people think they have to open a door for Satan to get in. However, all he needs is a mere crack into your marriage to fulfill his ultimate goal of destroying it before it can really get started.

The third couple listened to their realtor and took his suggestion not to take the cheap way out because it will cost them more in the end. They decided to start their house with a concrete foundation and completed it with bricks. The builder further told them that their house was built well and guaranteed to weather any storms. Satan’s response at this point is, “Huh, oh, really.”

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Couple #3

Husband: I know I’ve done a couple of things to break your trust in me, but I promise that I’m going to work at loving you in the manner that you deserve to be loved.

Wife: I know you are, and I see your efforts. We need to continue to pray over our marriage and seek counseling to help us work through our issues as a couple and individually.

Husband: Lord, help me to be the husband my wife needs me to be. I pray for my strength to keep our house and our family covered in prayer. Bless our marriage is my prayer.

This couple’s house was built well. Regardless of the storms it went through or how many darts Satan threw, it may have gotten bruised, but it did not break. It may have had to have some repairs, but it was not destroyed.

What is your marital house built on, and how strong is it? Do not allow Satan to destroy what God has ordained. Identify the enemy of your marriage and put your foot on his neck. I’m Just Simply Saying.