The Sanctuary of Marriage

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Main Entry: sanc•tu•ary
Pronunciation: \ˈsaŋ(k)-chə-ˌwer-ē\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural sanc•tu•ar•ies
Etymology: Middle English seintuarie, sanctuarie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin sanctuarium, from Latin sanctus
Date: 14th century

1: a consecrated place: as a: the ancient Hebrew temple at Jerusalem or its holy of holies b (1): the most sacred part of a religious building (as the part of a Christian church in which the altar is placed) (2): the room in which general worship services are held (3): a place (as a church or a temple) for worship


2 a (1): a place of refuge and protection (2): a refuge for wildlife where predators are controlled and hunting is illegal b: the immunity from law attached to a sanctuary

Well ladies, I have to start this article with a funny story. I find it interesting that as I began to ponder over the topic for this article, my dear sweet husband, who loves to get a rise out of me, began to have his fun in picking on me. Little did he know that as he was picking on me and trying to divert my attention from my trusty computer, I was trying to gather my thoughts on writing my contribution article for "Marriage Monday" on the topic of "The Sanctuary of Marriage”! When I couldn't take his relentless picking anymore, I exclaimed very loudly, "I'm trying to write on the Sanctuary of Marriage"! At this point, my husband proceeded to burst into uncontrollable laughter, which of course, made me laugh! But silliness aside, I'm thrilled to be able to write on this topic for Marriage Monday, since it's one that I find incredibly important and close to my heart.

Before going any further, I would like to first define what I believe a marriage to be. Being a born again Christian who believes every word of the inspired and inherent Word of God (the Holy Bible), I firmly believe that marriage is the God ordained institution in which one man and one woman are joined in holy covenant together with each other and with God, to spend the rest of their natural lives together, with only death separating them. With that said, I would now like to dissect the word "sanctuary" itself. I am captivated by just how much of a parallel exists between the word "sanctuary" itself and the holy institution of marriage.

Merriam Webster first defines "sanctuary" as "a consecrated place, as the ancient Hebrew temple at Jerusalem or its holy of holies". I believe that marriage, as a sanctuary, is the consecrated place that God has so graciously given to a man and a woman where they can go and worship Him, in unity together, as one flesh (Ephesians 5:31). Webster goes on to define the sanctuary as "the most sacred part of a religious building as the part of the Christian church where the altar is placed". What better way to describe a marriage than the "most sacred part" and "where the altar is placed". I love to view my marriage to Rob as a place, a most holy place, in which he and I come together as a couple at the most sacred places and worship God together. Outside of our salvation, I believe marriage to be the holiest of all earthly institutions in which a man and a woman may participate. It is God ordained. God loves marriage. God wants us to worship Him through our marriage. God wants us to place our marriages on His altar. I do not want to imply that our marriages should be our God. That would be nothing more than idolatry (Exodus 20:3). But, I do want to be very clear that He does want us to let Him be in the center of our marriage.

I believe that two of the greatest meanings of marriage to me are that, like the sanctuary, marriage is 1) a place of refuge and protection and 2) a refuge for wildlife where predators are controlled and hunting is illegal. Quite simply put, Rob is my protector, my guardian on this earth and I belong to no one but him....forever. No one is privileged to my affections but him....forever. No one can get to me, unless they go through him....forever.


Unfortunately, we live in a world where marriage has been so beaten down and sold off cheap, as if it were nothing more than a common prostitute. I pray that this article would help at least one woman, at her wits end in her marriage (1 Corinthians 7:13), to see that her marriage is still a sacred and holy place. I pray that our nation would turn back to the Lord and His principles where the topic of marriage is concerned. It is up to us to spread not only the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:14-18)but to also spread the message that God, and God alone is the author of marriage. There is no high court, there is no judge or jury who may define or take the credit for definition of this holy institution....there is only Jehovah God.

Wife of Rob