Marriage. Day 3

Marriage. Day 3 Devotion.

Malachi 2:13-16 NIV

'Another thing you do: You flood the Lord ’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord , the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful. '

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Let us reflect for a moment on the profound significance of inviting God into the most intimate of human covenants—the covenant of marriage. When we stand before the Lord to make our vows, we are not merely entering a contractual agreement, but stepping into a sacred union, overseen by the One who is both Creator and Witness.

Malachi paints a sobering picture: tears upon the altar, offerings rejected, and hearts bewildered. The people cry out, “Why?”—but the answer is painfully clear. Faithlessness has crept into the marriage bed. The very partner, the wife of one’s youth, has been treated with dishonour, despite the Lord Himself being a witness to the vow of lifelong fidelity.

We must understand that God is always a witness, invited or not. But how much more solemn the commitment when we do invite Him—when we seek His blessing and His presence, and then betray that trust through infidelity or divorce. To do so is not merely to offend a spouse, but to grieve the God who stands at the heart of the covenant.

The passage also speaks of God’s desire for godly offspring—children who will know and revere the Lord. Broken homes, born of broken vows, often leave children wounded and spiritually disoriented. This, too, offends God deeply, for His desire is to see generations raised to know Him as Father.

Marriage, as Scripture teaches, is not a decision God forces upon anyone. Yet when we do choose it, we must be prepared to honour that choice—with humility, sacrifice, and grace. The vows we make must be kept, not only for our partner’s sake, but for God's glory.

So let us be people who walk faithfully, whose relationships reflect God’s truth and mercy. When we invite Him sincerely into our homes and hearts, He will strengthen us, guide us, and help us raise children who walk in His ways.

🕊️ Lord, help us to live with honour in our covenants. May our marriages reflect Your steadfast love, and may our children rise to know You and glorify Your name. Amen.