What Makes a Marriage Stand? - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - September 19, 2026

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What Makes a Marriage Stand?
By Rick Warren

“He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.” Isaiah 33:6 (NIV)

It takes three to make a marriage stand. Not two, but three. You, your spouse, and Christ.

God never meant for you to go through your marriage with just the two of you working on it. Marriage is a three-legged stool. Think about it. You’ve never seen a two-legged stool. A two-legged stool will fall over. It has no stability. A stool must have a third leg.

In the same way, if all you’ve got in your marriage is each other, it isn’t enough. You need you, your spouse, and God for your marriage to stand.

The Bible says, “They will know God's secret, which is Christ himself. He is the key that opens all the hidden treasures of God's wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2 GNT). 

I live in an area where earthquakes are common. We all know that if you don’t have a strong foundation, your home is going to fall when the earthquake comes.

In your life, you’re going to face a lot of earthquakes. You’re going to have some health earthquakes. You’re going to have some financial earthquakes. You’re going to have some emotional earthquakes. You’re going to have all kinds of problems and stresses. If you don’t have a solid foundation for your marriage, it’s not going to be stable.

So what is that solid foundation? Jesus Christ. The Bible promises, “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure” (Isaiah 33:6 NIV). 

The best thing you can do for your marriage is to commit it to Jesus Christ. First, you and your spouse open your lives to him. Then, as you make him number one in your individual lives, you ask him to be number one in your relationship.

Building my marriage has been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life. But it also has been the most rewarding thing. Commit your life to Christ, and then commit your marriage to him. I promise you it will be worth it.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick

Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!

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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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