Reverend Anthony M.C. Ampah, Secretary of the Ashaiman West District of the Assemblies of God Church, Ghana, has said marriage is not a contract but a covenant.

He said marriage is a serious institution and must not be taken for granted as is the practice in recent times adding that the high rates of divorce in the world has to do with the mindset with which many entered into the sacred institution of marriage.

He said when people do not trust themselves in any venture then they would agree based on a contract and in the event of a breach, one could opt out, but ‘that is not the case with marriage’, he said.

Reverend Ampah said marriage was a life time covenant entered into by two persons who have carefully and prayerfully agreed to do so and was the only institution where certificates were awarded before the commencement of journey.

He said this while delivering his sermon titled: “Counting the Cost of Marriage”, during the solemnization of the marriage of Mr and Mrs Eric Korsinah at the Assemblies of God, Holy Ghost Worship Centre, Jericho-Ashaiman, on Saturday.

Reverend Ampah said marriage was based on trust, something you enter into and decide not to come out despite the circumstance; in a covenant despite the adversaries and challenges the two stakeholders decide to rather overcome and not walk out.

‘You need to count the costs before you marry no matter your expectations of how beautiful, unique and problem free you hope your marriage would be, it is equally advisable to count the cost,’ he said.

Reverend Ampah said he had the privilege to counsel a couple who were getting ready to marry, but through medicals it was discovered that they were both not compactible because they were both sickle cell carriers.

“I advised them but they wouldn’t agree, they were drawn in love so we had to bless their marriage but they faced a lot of challenge because their first child was a carrier, second same and this brought a heavy burden upon their finances which killed the joy in the family,” he said.

Reverend Ampah said marriage was characterized by sacrifice and if one was not ready, then should not venture in the first place for it was for people who have seriously counted the cost and were ready to stick and stay despite the unforeseen storms of life.

He said covenant partners gave their life to make that of the other partner better where they shared in successes and defeats.

Reverend Ampah advised couples to hold on fast to their marriage covenants in the event where the devil whispered to them that they had married the wrong person.

He said divorce was not a solution because it rather brought in more pain hurts and made thing much complicated.

“Share all you have; your money, ideas, wisdom, challenges including your bodies, the vows are not words of choice but a covenant and God does not take pleasure in the words of the unwise”, Reverend Ampah added.