Casandra Martin

It started as a simple question about Bible class. Our favorite seven year old was telling us about the Ten Commandments and how God called His people to obey and belong to Him. After describing the climb up Mount Sinai and being on the mountain with God for forty days, this little first grader began to walk through the list that teaches us about how to reflect the heart of God.

“Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Love God only. Don’t worship idols. Don’t commit… what’s that word… adultery. What’s adultery?”

The car went silent. How do you explain adultery to a child? Keeping it simple, we explained that God wants married people to keep their promises. This is God’s command to married people to always keep their promises. He nodded solemnly, understanding how important promises are, and then started a discussion about dinosaurs versus ninja turtles.

He got me thinking. While the seventh command deals specifically with faithfulness and purity, I made many promises when I got married and God wants me to keep all of them. Am I honoring my husband? How am I loving him, showing him respect, and cherishing our relationship? Do I regularly lift him up in prayer, encourage him in his relationship with Christ, and support him as he serves others in His name? Am I protecting our relationship and devoting myself to strengthening the connection that binds us together?

My Jesus Resolution today is to keep my promises. The promises that we make on our wedding day are lifetime promises meant to be lived out in the everyday. Each day I get an opportunity to share Jesus with my spouse. His love fuels the love we share with each other. His grace is the key to getting through the bumpy seasons. His power helps us face life’s difficulties. I want our relationship to be a framework for His goodness and a reflection of His character. God’s faithfulness teaches me how to be faithful. He keeps His promises so I can keep mine.