My in-laws, the Cosmans, celebrated their 53rd anniversary today. Wowza! (as some of my nieces would say) That’s great! I wonder how many of my generation will make it that far. Which leads me to the subject of today’s post – covenants or contracts.

Vows, particularly wedding vows, have changed a great deal. For some the words “as long as we both shall live….” really means “as long as we both shall love…..” When we stop “loving” then the marriage is over. But the question is – what is love? What are vows? What is marriage in the eyes of God?

Isn’t God the author and designer of marriage? Doesn’t Genesis 2 substantiate the truth that God established that first relationship between one man and one woman. It involves leaving, cleaving and becoming – 1) leaving our parental homes and establishing a new primary relationship – not as son or daughter but as husband and wife; 2) cleaving – Some authors have described this as “glue.” We are to become “glued” together, not because we can’t live without each other but because we have been joined together in body, soul and spirit. What God has joined together, no man or woman should separate. 3) becoming – It is a deliberate and sometimes challenging issue to say “ours” not “mine” and “you” not “me.”

My inlaws have been together for 53 years for better or worse, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad and God has blessed that commitment. Their 4 daughters, of whom I married the first, have had an example to follow. Dad and Mom and charted the course, now each couple, by God’s grace together in Christ, can imitate that model of leaving, cleaving and becoming.

Those of us who have married into the family have been included with great love and devotion. I think “mother-in-law” jokes are disgusting and totally inappropriate. Sure I tease my mother-in-law but I am extremely grateful to God for her and the great model she has been to our family through a huge list of challenges God has entrusted to her. My “father-in-law,” entrepreneur that he is, has counseled us, prayed for us, helped us in a myriad of ways and blessed us abundantly.

So on May 21st, 2008 – A big Happy Anniversary to the best in-laws one could ever have!