How do you view your marriage? Do you think that marriage is holy? In your opinion, is marriage a contact or a covenant? And as you view your marriage relationship from this point on, we challenge you to consider it a covenantinstead of a contract.These two words sound similar in meaning but are in reality much different. Seeing marriage as a contract is like saying to your spouse, “I take you for me and we’ll see if this works out.” But realizing it as a covenant changes it to say, “I give myself to you and commit to this marriage for life.” contractis usually a written agreement based on distrust, outlining the conditions and consequences if broken. A contract is a verbal commitment based on trust, assuring someone that your promise is unconditional and good for life. It is spoken before God out of love for another. establishes a time frame for certain deliverables to be met and accomplished. A covenantis for the benefit of others and comes with unlimited responsibility. It has no expiration date. It is “till death do us part.” A contractcan be broken with mutual consent. Acovenant is intended to be unbreakable. story of God’s people. God made a covenant with Noah, promising never to destroy all flesh with a worldwide flood (Genesis 9:12-17). He made a covenant with Abraham, promising that an entire nation of descendants would come from his family line (Genesis 17:1-8). He made a covenant with Moses, declaring that the people of Israel would be God’s permanent possession (Exodus 19:3-6). He made a covenant with David, promising that a ruler would sit on his throne forever (2 Samuel 7:7-16). Ultimately, He made a “new covenant” by the blood of Christ, establishing an unending life for those who believe in Him (Hebrews 9: 15). Never once has God broken any of these covenants. people, the pledge of a man and a woman to establish a love that is unconditional and lasts a lifetime. In marriage, your wedding ring represents your covenant vows—not merely commitments you hoped o keep but premeditated promises, publicly spoken and witnessed by others. not something you can do in your own strength. There’s good reason why God was the One who initiated covenants with his people. He alone is able to fulfill the demands of His own promises. He alone is able to forgive the receivers of His covenant when they fail to uphold their part of the agreement. But the Spirit of God is within you by virtue of your faith in His Son and the grace bestowed upon you in salvation. That means you can exercise your role as covenant keeper, no matter what may arise to challenge your faithfulness to it. now, the act of covenant keeping can grow more daunting with each passing day. But marriage is not a contract with escape clauses and exception wordings. Marriage is a covenant intended to cut off all avenues of retreat or withdrawal. There’s nothing in all the world that should sever what God has joined together. Your love is based on covenant. are still wondering why God withholds His hand of blessing at times from their homes and marriages. ”’You say, `For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant….for I hate divorce, says the lord, the God, the God of Israel, and him who covers his garment with wrong, says the lord of hosts. So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously “Malachi 2:14:16”. Hundreds of years after the prophet Malachi recorded these words, people Every marriage is called to be an earthly picture of God’s heavenly covenant with his church. It is to reveal to the world, the glory and beauty of God’s unconditional love for us. Jesus says “as father as loved me, so have I loved him. Now remaining my love” (john 15:9NIV) let his words inspire you to be a channel of God’s love to your spouse. The time is now, man or woman of God, to renew your covenant of love in all sincerity and surrender. Love is too holy a treasure trade in for another, and too powerful abound to be broken without dire consequences. First in your love afresh on t his one, the lord has given you to cherish, prize and honor. Your life together is before your. Dire to take of it and never let go We pray that you allow God to help you fulfill your part of the covenant