To Have And To Hold

The LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

Genesis 2:18

Comedian Red Skelton once explained the secret of his happy marriage. “Two times a week, we go to a nice restaurant, have a little beverage, good food, and companionship,” he said. “She goes on Tuesdays; I go on Fridays.”

He was joking, of course, but his words remind us that companionship and partnership are essential to good marriages. Healthy couples focus on the three “Hs” of a strong marriage.

They engage in holy pursuits—praying with one another and working together for the Lord. If your spouse is working in a children’s Sunday school class, why not join him or her and make it a joint ministry?

Healthy couples also forge some joint hobbies, things they enjoy doing together as friends, like sports, gardening, traveling, cooking, or collecting.

Healthy couples also hold each other, part of the “to have and to hold” promise of the traditional marriage vows. A happy marriage enjoys an abundance of physical embracing and affection.

Holiness, hobbies, and holding—couples who cultivate these things grow stronger as the years go by.

We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops!

RED SKELTON