Which is more important, getting married, or staying married? I’ve had fun asking this question of various audiences around the country and having them raise their hands to indicate their answer.

But after we consider it for a few minutes, the question that always gets the largest show of hands is when I finally ask, “How many think it’s a stupid question?”

Obviously, getting married doesn’t mean much if you don’t plan to stay married. And you can’t stay married if you’ve never gotten married in the first place.

But how often do we remember that principle in the Christian life? Coming to Jesus is important, no doubt about it. But that is only the beginning. In order to remain a Christian, we must continue to come to Him. It is just as important to stay with Jesus as it is to come to Him in the first place.

“However complete may have been our consecration at conversion, it will avail us nothing unless it be renewed daily.” - Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, January 6, 1885.

“To follow Jesus requires wholehearted conversion at the start, and a repetition of this conversion every day.” - Ellen G. White Comments, S.D.A. Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 1113.

Jesus said,

“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23.

Christianity is more than a one-time decision-it is a way of life. And while this seems to be an elementary truth, many have missed it and discovered to their dismay that it’s then uphill business to serve the Lord.

We understand how daily commitment is necessary in a marriage. We know it’s true in the work-a-day world. It doesn’t matter how brilliantly you shine at the job interview, or how hard you work the first day on the new job, if you stop right there, you will soon find yourself unemployed.

You can start an exercise program and work yourself breathless the first time around, but unless you keep at it day after day, you won’t see any results. Giving birth to a baby is a complicated procedure, but your job as a parent is just beginning when your child is born. A lot more is involved in getting an education than showing up for registration day, important as that is.

If it is so readily apparent in the things of here and now that a one-time decision is insufficient, then how much more should we recognize the importance of commitment when the things of eternity are involved.

Sometimes I have talked about the method for staying with Jesus and the importance of spending time with Him day by day. Then someone will come along after the service and say, “I tried that, and it didn’t work.”

“How long did you try?”

“Three days.”

Shouldn’t we be willing at least to give God equal time with the things of this life? There may be some job that you simply can’t perform. There may be some marriage situations that are impossible.

There may be some types of education for which you are not qualified. But when it comes to the Christian life, only one thing is required: that you come to Jesus, and that you keep coming to Him day by day. If you will keep coming to Him, God has made Himself responsible for taking care of everything else that needs to happen in your life. The Desire of Ages, page 302:

“If the eye is kept fixed on Christ, the work of the Spirit ceases not until the soul is conformed to His image.”