Cohabitation or Marriage
_You cannot understand marriage well enough and ever want a divorce._
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 KJV
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. [10] For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. [11] Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone ? [12] And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Many supposed homes only have cohabiting type of relationship: Nothing common than the make believe that they are married.
Each live separately,
Reason separately,
Eat separately,
Have separate purpose,
Act independently without recourse to the spouse,
Etc.
This kind of life cannot help you maximize the fruit of marriage. A good reward is from healthy marriage not cohabiting couples.
Looking at the next verse it gets clearer: when one falls, the other will lift him up.
*One of the partners will more likely fall along the way, the stronger will hold him through.*
Ecclesiastes 4:10 KJV
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
Marriage of today is ridden with crises because we anticipate a perfect union where there’s no challenge and easily pack up as one of the couples fall.
*The truth:*
The essence of good marriage is to ease out crises from one another’s life… Burden bearer or help meet or suitable help… When one falls the other will rally strength to help, it’s not the time to pack up or divorce.
Check Genesis 2 critically. The essence of Eve coming into play is about getting somebody to fill a void or emptiness in the life of Adam. Even Adam needs a helper.
Again, marriage brings about increasing strength through leveraging. It’s not about one of the people in relationship slaving it out, it’s mutual contribution to the health of the union.
Ecclesiastes 4:11 KJV
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone ?
Cohabiting partners have no shared value or responsibilities. Each feeds from his or her struggles. When the chips are down the relationship easily fall apart because there’s no bond.
The true sense of marriage is coming together in union and bond to do things in common in order to minimize personal losses, injuries, emotional trouble, poverty, etc.
*The level at which you do things in common will determine how rich the relationship will be.*
Ecclesiastes 4:12 KJV
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Marriage is mending fences the enemy has attacked.
Marriage is about helping the wobbling partner come to a better form.
Marriage is increasing the strength of your spouse.
If you learn this well and continue in it, your ignorant spouse will learn from you with time.
1 Peter 3:1 KJV
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives
(the above verse applies to men also)
*WALE ADEWUMI*
