Have you ever attended a picture-perfect wedding, a one-of-a-kind special day filled with magic and love? The couple probably spent a lot of time and money getting all of the details just right.

Although the wedding day may be marvelous, a Christian wedding is about more than just one day. A Christ-centered marriage calls you to rise above the difficulties that come into every relationship and remain faithful to God and to each other.

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. —Matthew 19:4-6, KJV

Marriage calls a couple to love and serve each other. Christian marriage is a calling from God to live and love together forever. Living in a Christ-centered marriage means putting God ahead of everything and everyone else.

Living in a marriage centered around Jesus means more than just following God’s laws. Married couples who pray together, study God’s Word together and rely on God to help them through hard times will be happier together. 

When Christ is at the center of your marriage, your marriage is rooted and grounded in His love. Christ’s love extends to each other and to the children who are born into the marriage.

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. —Ephesians 3:17-19, KJV

When you know the love of Christ, you will share that love with your spouse willingly and unselfishly. Healthy communication is one of the cornerstones of a good marriage. When your words mirror the love of Christ, your spouse will feel that love.

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. —Ephesians 5:1-2, KJV 

Ephesians 5 is filled with many words of wisdom for living a Christ-centered marriage. To walk in love means that all you do is done in love. Whether you are working to help support your family or caring for your home or family, act with love.

The concept of putting your spouse’s needs above your own is an extension of walking in Christ’s love. Jesus gave His life for us, proving that His love was eternal and true. You show your love for God and your spouse by giving fully of yourself without expecting anything in return.

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and give himself for it. —Ephesians 5:20-25, KJV

A Christian marriage doesn’t always look the same as any other marriage. Some people who read these words from Ephesians only see the part about wives being submissive and miss the end of the verse.

Wives are called to be submissive to their husbands, just as they are to the Lord. Husbands are called to be the head of their wives, just as Christ is the head of the Church. Christian marriage is about extending Christ’s love to your spouse in all things.