Last week, I received an email from a friend, informing me of the break up of her marriage. And another friend, emailed me today, telling me after doing nothing for her financially or emotionally, selfish to the core, her ex husband sent her a text, saying, you are on your own, so am I, lets get back together? She blatantly refused! Loads of marriages or partnerships are ending in tethers, especially during these harsh economic times. For example, nowadays when folks hear about a marital or partnership breakdown, the news is met with blasé words like, ‘relationships are not lasting long these days’. So I was pondering on whether these relationships are based on love or lust or a combination of both? Is lust a sound basis for the foundation of a relationship? Can one have a 'loved up romantic endeavour' that is kept within a boundary without or with the ‘love trimmings’?- I think that this 'loved up romantic endeavour' at times without the lustful love trimmings,may be a good basis for a sound marital or partner relationship.

From a personal note, a relationship based on lust may not survive the forever and ever love stakes, but this is subject to debate as a relationship based on personal love may also not survive the love stakes. So, how does a marriage or living together relationship survive – I believe there are many factors, but for me it is vital to let go, and let the person be – jealousy, as a factor is the killer of many relationships. The media mentions loads of factors, financial contributions, temper tantrums, too much reliance on close relatives for advice, violence, unequal cooperation with regard to child rearing, in-laws, unwillingness to grow up or display neutral maturity reasoning, seeing problems from the other person’s perspective.

So, would some marriage/relationships be better with only one child or loads of children? Would some relationships be better where the spouses are separated (ie living in different countries), and meet intermittently? Should men and women be more complimentary, regardless of age, to each other? Are some men or women 'genetically' unsuitable for this 'loved up' relationship and should therefore stay clear of the love stakes?

A large percentage of relationships are in crisis point, whether from the same or different ethnic groups, famous or not famous, rich or poor. What examples are being set to guide the young people in choosing the right spouse/partner – or will anyone do, as long as they have a bit of money, or a house, a good family name, from the same religious setting, similar profession etc.

Father God, without you our Maker, we can do nothing, you created us to be fruitful and multiply, to leave our mother and father and become One, we pray for all people in relationships whether they are married or living together so that with you Father they will become One. Send down you Holy Spirit from above to guide young people as they make choices for their future relationships, and we remember all those whose marriage or relationships have failed for whatever reasons or lack of it, in Jesus holy Name we pray reminding that your love Father never fails. Amen.