The following article is a guest post by my wife, Margaux.

Insecurity plagues the heart. It plagues my heart in whispering inadequacy, unworthiness, unloveliness and shame on a daily basis. It affirms distrust of the world and others. More than this it affirms distrust in God, my life origin.

Being married for just over six months, insecurity has raised its head here too. Surely, if my husband sees this vulnerable self of imperfection, jealousy, sin, and greed, he will doubt his choice of me. Surely, if he sees my unloveliness, he would turn his back on me. And yet, daily, I have seen him choosing me, exclusively loving me, in his imperfection “clothing me with righteousness”. Why would he do this? Why would he affirm me through words of affirmation, and daily acts of service and intimacy?

Because of a promise—an immense grace. Because of this grace-filled fulfilment of a promise.

As the promise comes into view, the muck fades. Faithfulness starts with a promise. And not just a lighthearted “I promise” in popular superficiality, but an intentional, before-God-and-witnesses, “until death do us part” type of covenant promise. How we have discredited the brevity of this act and the daily display of this. Faithfulness to marital promises almost seems “pre-historic” in our culture and context. Yet faithfulness to covenant promises, and the pouring out of daily grace upon each other (because there is a secure covenant promise in place), is to what we as humankind have been called. I am convinced that this daily being-vulnerable-and-“naked” before the other, and being loved in grace due to faithful covenant promise keeping, is where the refining of our characters and faith, and healing takes place.

A few Sundays ago, I not only revelled in the memory of the promise of my husband, but revelled in the covenant promises of my Eternal Groom.

With thanks I stood beside my earthly husband and gave thanks for the manner in which Jesus, the Christ, made a covenant promise to me and all who trust in His gift of an eternal marriage to the Almighty creator of the universe. We stood in awe in memory of the way in which our Groom died so that we could be righteous and lovely. This, so that we can stand securely knowing that we are “clothed in righteousness” despite the daily filth that is apparent through relationships and in our daily work. What bizarre grace is it that I get to stand before a Mighty God and partake in sharing in His death and resurrection?

What security do I (and we) not have in our Maker’s covenant promises!

This is not cute, or temporary balm to sooth hurt emotions. This is saving grace, a covenant marriage with His image bearers—for us to be in holy communion with Him!

With my American friends having recently celebrated their holiday of Thanksgiving, and my husband and I having celebrated 6 months of marriage, moreover I celebrate in the Mighty promises of our God, and His gracious and faithful character. And by the grace of God, I will continue to give thanks for the rest of my earthly life, as I look forward, alongside my earthly husband and earthly yet eternal family, to the consummation of the promise of abundant eternal life at the Wedding Feast!

And so we daily ponder and lean upon a most precious promise! What a stabilising anchor!

SDG.