Source: TV One Publicity / David and Tamela Mann
COMMITMENT
Scripture: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: he will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” -Psalm 37:5-6 NIV
Devotional: Tam and I get asked all the time, “How have you stayed married for so long?” My simple answer is, God plus commitment. We committed to God first, and we committed to one another second.
It’s no secret. Marriage is a beautiful gift, but it is also a commitment. Anyone can fall in love, but marriage takes work. A wedding ceremony will last for one hour, but a marriage will last for a lifetime. When it comes to my life, it’s Christ, it’s Tam, and then everything else.
The first commitment we made when we got married was to honor our vows. If we honored our vows, then divorce would never be an option. Within the first week of our marriage, we decided to remove the option of divorce from the table. We wanted each other to know, “I’m not leaving you.” We were accustomed to rejection, and we grew up in families where marriage was not as healthy as it could’ve been, so we threw divorce off the table and focused on our commitments. We decided: if we do this, we are going to do this ’til death do us part. That was our promise to each other. That was our promise to ourselves.
We know marriage has its challenges, but we are committed to never let the challenges drown out the joy. It’s a good thing to be married. It feels so good to know that we don’t have to make every decision our my own. It feels good to have a partner for life, someone who is always in our corner. Because of my commitment to Tam, she gets support, strength, encouragement, and love. And because of her commitment to me, I get prayer, wisdom, affirmation, and a beautiful woman by my side.
WILL YOU PRAY WITH US?
Heavenly Father, help us stay committed to our marriage through every season of life. Through the good and the bad, help us to prioritize each other. Grant us the grace to endure the difficult seasons, and give us the peace that surpasses understanding. Remind us of our vows when our faith gets tired. We trust you to be the glue that holds us together. In Jesus’ name, amen.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What commitments have you made in your marriage? What promises do you struggle to keep when the going gets tough?
2. Do you still have a copy of your wedding vows? If so, when is the last time you’ve read them together?
3. If you have your vows, revisit your commitments. After reading them, is there anything in your vows that has inspired you to live and love your spouse differently?
