Proverbs 5:18 “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth”

Malachi 2:15 – “…So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth” – New International Version

Her gaze rested on him momentarily, and there was a twinkle in her eye and a seductive smile on her lips. His heart was palpitating as their eyes met… he quickly looked away and continued documenting his master’s inventory. She was his master’s wife and he was right there at the breakfast table eating quickly because he needed to leave for an official engagement. He quickly stepped out and rode away on his royal carriage.

“It’s ok Joseph”, she said as she slowly got up and approached him and reached out for his hand “No one will know. Let’s go to my bedroom.” Her hand gently touched his; he froze as a tingling sensation ran through his spine. She was indeed beautiful and on this particular day looked lovely with delicately done makeup. There was an enchanting fragrance around her, clearly the finest of Egyptian perfumes. 

But she was his master’s wife and almost twice his age. How could he dishonor God or his boss in this way? he thought. “No!” he muttered under his breath “I can’t do it!”, he said firmly, while looking her in the eye. It was not the first time that she had made an advance on him.

She ignored his firm look and moved her hand up his sleeve and started to gently tag on his robe, as her other hand touched his chin. Joseph pushed her hands away and got up from his desk and started to leave. She grabbed hold of his robe as she continued to plead with him. He firmly pushed her away but she clutched at his robe still. He quickly shook off his robe and ran off, leaving the robe in her hands.

Well in this story, Joseph wasn’t married, but he paints a picture of what true marital faithfulness is. Many years later, he ended up marrying Pharaoh’s daughter. He had kept himself pure till then, because he knew that marital faithfulness is tied with faithfulness to God’s purpose. It is not just required once we are married, but even before. Singles are expected to keep themselves sexually pure for the sake of their future marriages; and once married, they must remain true to their spouse – all for God’s glory. Marital unfaithfulness (infidelity) not only destroys the marriage, but also our relationship with God. 

In the same manner that God expects us to consciously Rejoice in the “wife of our youth” all our married years, He also expects us to remain true to Him. While addressing the Ephesian church, John the revelator wrote this about the church in Revelation 2:4-5  “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.  Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” – New International Version

When we find our lives prayerless and other priorities take the place of God, we should ask like Joseph did, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God, by forsaking my first love?” – Let us set our hearts free from infidelity