James 2 vs. 16 (NKJV)
And one of you say unto them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
So you took the plunge and got married; the wedding was beautiful; no expense was spared, and the flowers, the cake, the dress, the tuxedos, the food, the guest list, everything was perfect including the honeymoon, but now you are home, and the marriage begins. My money becomes our money; my debts become our debts.
Marriage is two people learning through the joys and difficulties of life to become one. Often, when we marry, we don’t recognize that it is a merger of not just our things but also of ourselves. While a successful marriage is other-centered, nothing can test the foundation of a marriage the way sickness does; most do not plan for it yet are taken into it often without warning.
More than likely, when you became the husband or the wife, you did not plan on taking another title, and that is caretaker, where your days that used to be filled with your plans are now filled with plans for your loved one. You rise early and get to bed late; you count the pills, do the bowel care, dress the wounds, reassure the fears, wipe away the tears, and are often the voice of reassurance; your presence gives the one who is sick the courage and often the ability to live another day.
What does it profit a relationship to simply say the words yet not do anything to give those words value? Yet, when most of us said ‘in sickness and in health,’ we thought there would only be health. Yes, it’s easy to stick around when things are good, when life is rich with many rewards, but the test of your marriage comes when things don’t go as planned, when you can no longer just talk the talk, but instead must walk the walk. And every day, that is exactly what a man or a woman who cares for a sick spouse does.
As you look at the commitments in your life, may you take seriously all that comes with it—not just the good, but also the bad. And if the bad should come upon you, may you have the good character to rise to the occasion.
