Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. Matthew 7:24-25
Christian marriage requires a strong foundation to withstand the storms that inevitably will come and beat against our house. Surely the rains of disappointment will fall, the floods of anxiety will come and the winds of change will blow, and our relationship will fall victim to the stress and strain of daily life.
To secure our marriage solidly on rock, we need to listen to the Word of God and act accordingly. We need to take the time necessary to strengthen the bonds of love between us.
One important way we can renew and enrich our relationship is by spending time together. This might mean going for a walk and deeply sharing our thoughts and feelings honestly and openly. Regular date nights (without the kids) are a must. The cost of the date — even with the expense of a sitter — is well worth the benefits to the well-being of our marriage.
To build a solid relationship on a strong foundation, a married couple will sometimes want to spend extended time away alone as a couple. A weekend away can be a sound investment for yielding a strong, happy and healthy marriage.
Belinda and I recently spent some time alone with each other on a weekend retreat. We took advantage of this opportunity to pray and talk about our life together. We shared our hopes and dreams, and even talked about some of our hurts and disappointments. We spent this time together setting our house on rock, so that our marriage will never collapse.
