Marriage doomsayers have been touting the end of marriage, as we know it, in multiple forms of messages for decades. Shouted from places of academia and even some pulpits is the specious notion that one half of all marriages end in divorce, that marriage is meaningless and old-fashion or the notion of cohabitation – no legal piece of paper is necessary. In spite of this relentless push, the great news is that marriage remains strong as an institution, is not crumbling off the face of the earth and the One who actually created and designed marriage has not redefined marriage or decreased the importance of marriage and the family as the basis of our society.

Believe it or not, the design of marriage did not take place in the halls of congress, a courtroom, a temple or through some enlightened monk centuries past. Here is where it all began: “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.   I will make a helper suitable for him.’ So the Lord caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (Genesis 2: 18, 21, 22, 24)

Did Jesus affirm this covenant act created by God in His “God became flesh” days on the earth? He did. “‘Haven’t you read,’ he [Jesus] replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?’” I am so grateful for God’s design called marriage and how the Son of God spoke to and affirmed that design long after creation. May we continue to boldly do the same by strengthening our unions and serving those who are struggling in theirs.