Stay Together – Pastor Erton Köhler

Have you noticed how fast we move? We live in an age of instant connections. We click, swipe, connect, and just as quickly, disconnect. It feels like we are living in a culture of "disposable" everything, cups, trends, and tragically, relationships. Recently, I was deeply moved by a tradition from the Republic of Poland. Did you know that in that country, there is a specific presidential honor called the "Medal for Long Marital Life"? It is awarded to couples who have remained married for at least 50 years. The medal features two roses intertwined, resting together on a simple silver field. If a country honors 50 years of keeping a promise, how much more does Heaven honor a lifetime of faithfulness? In Scripture, family is not a cultural invention; it is a divine creation. Marriage is not a human tradition; it is a sacred gift. Commitment is not just a social expectation; it is a spiritual calling. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24, KJV). Marriage is more than a legal contract; it is a spiritual union. Recent reports reveal that across many developed nations, marriage rates have plummeted by nearly 50% since the 1970s. Even more striking, 25% of 40-year-olds in the U.S. have never been married, a historic high. In a world like this, the church cannot just be a building where we meet on Sabbath. It must become a sanctuary where commitment is celebrated.
Around our global family, hope is alive. Churches are organizing mentorship teams connecting older couples with younger ones. In Bangalore, India, Adventist Family Ministries held seminars with over four hundred couples. In Latvia and Lithuania, congregations hosted family wellness weekends. Mission is not only what we preach from the pulpit. Mission is what happens in the living room. May your home become a sanctuary of peace. May your relationships become testimonies of grace. Heaven still honors endurance. About the series From the Heart is a weekly devotional series in which Pastor Köhler reflects on what it means to be grounded in the Bible and focused on the mission, collectively and individually. Each episode is grounded in the four pillars of the Seventh-day Adventist Church strategic plan: Communion with God, Identity in Christ, Unity through the Holy Spirit, and Mission for All. The series connects biblical faith to everyday life, sharing short reflections and glimpses of how God is at work through the Adventist Church around the world. Subscribe and join us each week as we live out our faith and prepare for Jesus's return. – The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been an established denomination since 1863. It is a global Christian family with over 23 million members who hold the Bible as the ultimate authority. We are believers committed to helping people understand the Bible to find freedom, healing, and hope in Jesus. Want to learn more about the Seventh-day Adventist Church? Visit our website at: https://www.adventist.org/ Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b6V8Cz_SRE