Mark 10:8
"And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh."
There is much to be learned about marriage in Mark 10:6-9. Jesus had been asked if it was lawful for a couple to get divorced.
To answer their question, Jesus went back to the very beginning to explain marriage and what will destroy a marriage. Let me point out several tips from this passage on helping a couple to stay married.
First, you must understand God's order in the home. Verse 6 shows us that God created man and woman. You will notice that man was created first, then the woman was created second for the man. Though this goes against modern philosophy, we must understand that the husband must be the head of the home. It does not mean the wife is a second-rate being, but she was created for the man. In other words, the man cannot be what God wants him to be without his wife helping him. That means the wife has extreme influence in the marriage, but she must yield to her husband's leadership to make the marriage work.
Second, married couples must leave their parents and cleave to each other. Verse 7 shows us this importance. I find this is one of the major problems in homes today. We have couples who still do everything with their parents and this is to the detriment of their marriage. You should honor your parents, but you must cleave to your spouse. You cannot allow your parents to interfere in your home. For instance, I believe it's not good to have a vacation with your parents every year. Every once in awhile is not bad, but not every year. You must leave your parents and cleave to your spouse. Your family needs to spend the vacation together so that it can create its own memories.
Third, you must become one in all that you do. This will only happen if you spend time with each other. You cannot have one process of thinking if you don't know each other. May I encourage you to make time to be with each other. Don't get so wrapped up in hobbies, career, ministry, making money and other activities that you are never home to spend time with each other. If your marriage is going to make it, then you and your spouse need to spend time together to be one in all that you do.
Fourth, don't let any person divide your marriage. God warns that people will divide your marriage. This subject alone could take up many pages, but let me try to simplify it by saying that no person should come between you and your spouse. Your children or parents should not come between you and your spouse. Definitely, no person of the opposite gender should come between you. Also, be careful that other authorities don't come between you. Always be aware that these will destroy a marriage.
Finally, hardened hearts are the greatest destroyer of marriages. You will notice that Jesus said, "For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept." Be careful that you don't have a heart that nobody can change. When you get the type of spirit in your marriage that your spouse is not going to change you, then you have started down a destructive path. Couples who stay together must be tender towards each other. Hard hearts cause strife and divisions in the marriage. Don't always have to have things your way. Be agreeable with each other and don't let anything harden your heart towards your spouse.
If you will take these precepts and apply them to your marriage, you will find your marriage will become stronger. Though I could not go in depth into these precepts, you must see the importance of these things in your marriage. Marriage is a work in progress, and each of these areas must be worked on continually if you want to stay happily married.