Skunks around

A cool night breeze floated into the room, giving the candle a little dance. Notes from Josh Groban filled the air and we tipped glasses of sparkling cider to each other. He looked deep into my eyes and gently said, “I smell skunk.”

I did too, actually.

We gave each other a quick accusing look but moved on. I wondered if the candle had gone bad. He raced to the window to see what the dogs had drug up.

And I got the giggles, thinking of what an amazing analogy for marriage this was.

Often we enter marriage expecting a steady flow of candles and sparkling cider when sometimes what we get is skunk. The mark of a marriage is how we deal with imperfection.

The only thing about creation that was “not good” was Adam’s aloneness. And the only time creation was “very good” was after people received the breath of life.

God honors marriage. Among other things, it is a picture of his covenant with us. The commitment required to walk together through disappointment, misunderstanding, grief – and skunk – gives us an idea of his faithfulness to us.

It amazes me how God works through imperfect people – and we see it clearly in the marriage commitment. Somehow two flawed individuals come together as one with God knitting the two into a unity that is better than its parts.

If you’re married, celebrate what God is teaching you about his commitment through your marriage. If you’re not, celebrate the covenant that God has made to you.

Either way, you see how God values promises. Even when the aroma of the moment is a little unpleasant.

Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm;
for love is strong as death,
passion fierce as the grave.

Song 8:6