Marriage is a strange concept- two people stand in front of another person who has been given the authority to declare them legally bound to one another for the rest of their lives here on earth.

Modern day marriage is a little less restrictive and has a lot less boundaries in place. Firstly its not necessarily ‘until death do you part’, its more like ‘until you’re no longer ‘feeling it’ do you part’.

The ‘forsaking all others’ part is also a little more blurred and often incorporates a few others into the equation that used to equal only two.

Here’s the thing though- marriage was not invented by some modern day relationship guru but is rather an age old concept thought about and perfected by God Himself. Just as we cannot reinvent the wheel, we cannot re-invent the concept of marriage. What has resulted in the attempt to do so is a mix and match, boudary-less  mess that leaves behind broken families, broken homes and broken people in its wake.

The problem all starts with a wrong understanding of the lines that are meant to be drawn in the sand as you say your I DO’s.

The first line is the line behind you. This line signifies a separation between you and your past identity as a single,unattached person who is legally entitled to do whatever he or she wishes relationally. This line cuts you off from old romantic relationships and the possibility of re-visiting those attachments and is a vital part of a healthy future with the person standing facing you as you make your vows.

The second line is the one in front of you. This line essentially cancels out any future romantic relationships with anybody else other than the person to whom you’re making your vows. This too is an essential line that will ensure a good understanding of fidelity going forward.

The next two lines are the ones to your left and to your right. These two lines cut off any possible and sometimes unintentional sabotaging from within the circle of people that are closest to you. The Bible says that in marriage two become one. This simply put is it’s the two of you on one team and everybody else separate. Your best friends do not need to know the intimate details of your marriage. Your parents do not need to know the points that you and your ‘chosen one’ butt heads about. Your finances, your sex life, your personal stuff  is no longer accessible to anybody outside the two of you and any private information has to stay private.

You get to choose your life partner. A good choice will go a long way to a happy future, so choose wisely and make sure you decide to choose that person every day, good days and bad days, for the rest of your lives. Until death do you part.

Mark 10:6-9. Jesus said, “From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. ‘ “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.