Daily Devotional

“Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So, Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death” (Genesis 24:67). 

It’s a miracle these days for couples to stay married for very long. The average length of a marriage that ends in divorce is eight years. One couple from Bradford, England, have beaten the odds by a long shot. Karam and Kartari Chand tied the knot in 1925 in India and moved to Great Britain forty years later. In December 2015, at ages 110 and 103, they celebrated their 90th wedding anniversary. One of the secrets of their lifelong love is, “We never argue.” 

The longest-living married couple in the United States (as of 2016) is John and Ann Betar of Connecticut, who were united on November 25, 1932. They have celebrated more than eighty-three years together. What’s the best part of their long marriage? “Just being together,” responded John. His marital advice: “Live day to day within your means. Be content with what you have. Don’t spend more than you have. And respect each other.” 

The love story of Isaac and Rebekah is without equal in the Bible. This long and monogamous relationship began when Isaac’s father asked his servant to choose a lifelong partner for his son. How many marriages today would have ended in joy instead of grief if children sought godly advice from wise parents? Isaac didn’t rebel against the arrangement. The Bible says, “He took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her” (emphasis added). 

There is more than a marriage principle in this beautiful story. It was to a far country that Jesus came to find His bride, the church. Paul admonished, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25, emphasis added). That’s not only the best advice for a long and happy marriage, but it’s the symbol of our eternal union with our Bridegroom. 

Dear Jesus, thank You for laying down Your life to demonstrate Your sacrificial love for me.