You Have God’s Permission To Enjoy Your Marriage 

By Brandon Baggett

The book of Ecclesiastes can be a pretty depressing book! Towards the beginning of Ecclesiastes, Solomon makes the point that life is extremely short. 

“A generation goes, and a generation comes” (Ecclesiastes 1:4 ESV). That’s the nature of life; it’s here for a moment, and then it’s gone. If that’s not dismal enough, we come to the end of Ecclesiastes and Solomon explains life eventually comes to an end. 

He reminds us that we grow older and our body “returns to the earth as it was” (Ecclesiastes 12:7 ESV). Life is short. Then we die. That’s a pretty bleak picture. Thankfully, that’s not the only thing Ecclesiastes teaches! 

I love Solomon’s conclusion in Ecclesiastes 9:7-10. In light of the fact that life is short and death is inevitable, Solomon urges us to seize life and enjoy God’s gifts to the fullest. It was among these instructions Solomon said, “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 9:9 ESV). 

Did you catch what he said? He said to go and enjoy every moment of life with your wife! Since life is short and it will not last forever, enjoy life with your spouse! I love those words! What about you? 

God didn’t create marriage to be a burdensome ball and chain to carry. Instead, our benevolent Creator has blessed our lives with the gift of marriage, a relationship that can bring us exponential joy in this life. You have God’s permission to enjoy your spouse.

Let this be your motivation to invest in your marriage, add some spice into that relationship, and know the joy God longs to give you through your spouse. 

Brandon Baggett is preaching minister at Luverne Church of Christ.