“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24.  When a Christian man finds his bride he is charged to “hold fast” to her and the wife likewise to her husband as they literally become one flesh in the eyes of God (very romantic if you think about it).  A good wife is a gift directly from the Lord.  “Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.” Proverbs 19:14.  A man is to treat his bride as his “Beloved” and always show her that she is loved and well taken care of while the wife is charged with the duty to respect and obey her husband.  “However, each one of you also must lov

e his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”  Ephesians 5:33.  “Wives, obey your husbands as you obey the Lord.”  Ephesians 5:22.  

The reward for a couple following God’s commands is a satisfying

marriage including in many cases a satisfying sex life.  “Let my beloved (husband) come to his garden, and eat its choicest fruits.” Song of Solomon 4:16.  “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride, I gathered my myrrh and my spice, I ate my honey comb with my honey, I drank my wine with my milk.” Song of Solomon 5:1.  A recent survey published by the University of Chicago found sex is more satisfying in marriage than outside it.  That is particularly true for religious couples.  The study found that the more religious a married couple, the more frequent and satisfying their sex life.  Conservative evangelical Protestant women, the survey found, reported the most satisfying sex life.  Mainline Protestants and Catholics were only five points behind, while those with no religious affiliation were way down the list.

There are so many unhappy marriages today as it is difficult for two people to live happily together with our fallen natures in play.  However, if we follow the biblical principles of chastity and self-sacrificing love for husbands/submission for wives, God can provide us the wonderful marriage we all desire.  Then we can say to our spouses – “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” Song of Solomon 6:3.