Remember that ultimately we stand alone before God. Neither your wife nor
husband nor any other friend can stand in for you in your relationship with
God. You are responsible to him for “the things done in [your] body” (2
Corinthians 5:10). Even if you try to ignore the Lord, He is still there, always
watching and always working. Every other person is of no significance in
comparison to Him.
A man with three friends was charged with a serious crime and summoned to
court. He went to his first friend for help, but all the friend could offer was a
nice set of clothes to wear to his appearance before the judge. The man went
to his second friend, but that friend could only accompany him to the entrance
of the courtroom. The third friend not only went with the man all the way into
court but pled his case so well that he was acquitted and set free.
That is a parable for us all. We could say that a dying man has three friends.
The first friend is his material wealth. All this friend can offer is a suit to be
buried in. The second friend represents dear ones on earth who love him, who
can only accompany him to death’s door. But the third friend is the Lord Jesus
Christ, who is with us through life and death. He will plead our case in heaven
so that we are counted righteous by God. He is the greatest friend that we and
our spouses can ever have!
— Joel Beeke, Friendship and Intimacy in marriage