Consecration in Marriage
When a man and a woman join hands in marriage, they are covenanting/committing to each other all of their love with their whole heart and soul. In Dr. H. Wallace Goddard’s book, Drawing Heaven into Your Marriage, he refers to this as consecration in marriage. Dr. Goddard says that “marriage provides glorious opportunities to practice consecration” in which “we are invited to dedicate our lives, our talents, our weekends, and our weaknesses to the sacred enterprise of sanctifying our marriages and ultimately perfecting our souls” (Goddard, 2009, p. 103).
I love the idea that I am working together with the one I love most in “perfecting our souls” through our experiences in marriage. But how exactly do we go about doing this? Dr. Goddard explained that “consecration is a covenant that moves us from asking how we can get our needs met to asking how we can bless and serve. We become more grateful. Rather than wondering if this marriage is a good investment that will pay us a handsome return, we ask for heavenly grace that we may love and serve as Jesus served—without thought of reward” (Goddard, 2009, p. 110). I know that sometimes doing these things, such as putting our spouse first or being “grateful,” are “easier said than done,” but I have experienced how “practicing consecration” has blessed my marriage and helped me to become more like Christ.
What if your marriage is hard? What if your marriage is full of conflict? What if there are days that you don’t even like your spouse? Dr. Goddard says that these are the times that “consecration invites us to put everything we have on the altar—to hold nothing back” (Goddard, 2009, p. 105). Dr. Goddard goes on to say that with consecration “we are willing to minister to a mixed-up spouse. We are willing to love a failing partner. We bless those who belittle us. We pray for those who have despitefully used us. . .[we] accept abundant limitations. . . It is acting to redeem our partners and our covenants with everything we have and everything we may draw from Heaven” (Goddard, 2009, p. 105). To me this means to love unconditionally and to give it our all and our everything. I also believe that it is key to “draw from Heaven” as Dr. Goddard stated, and to always remember Heaven is on our side and we don’t have to do it alone.
Next month, my husband and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Through all of these years we have been through a lot, but we have also grown a lot. I stopped counting the cost a long time ago and dug in and gave it my all. I take a lot comfort in this statement by Dr. Goddard, “those who relentlessly demand something better—more attentive partners and better family life—will be disappointed. Those who give up everything—their time, talents, and expectations in service of their families—are the ones who get everything—Eternal Life and Glory” (Goddard, 2009, p. 111). “Eternal Life and Glory” my goal, and I have already reaped many of the benefits of practicing consecration in my marriage. I believe it is worth it!
Goddard, H. W. (2009). Drawing heaven into your marriage: eternal doctrines that change relationships. Cedar Hills, UT: Joymap Publishing.