The prophet Hoshea was told by Hashem to marry a woman of ill repute, begin a family with her, and then to let her go. However, the pain of breaching the relationship, dubious in its very nature, would be too great for him to bear. Thus, Hashem gives Hoshea a glimpse into the depth of Hashem's covenant with us, one that will survive any disappointment, no matter how profound. The Haftorah of Parshas Bamidbar records this prophecy and concludes with the words, "v'airastich li l'olam, viairastich li b'tzedek u'v'mishpat u'v'chessed u'v'rachamim, v'airastich li b'emunah" ("and I will marry you forever, and I will marry you with righteousness and with justice and with kidness and with mercy, and I will marry you with trust") (Hoshea 2:21-22).
At first blush, I have often considered, we would rearrange these expressions of love. Would we not leave "forever" for a climactic conclusion, presented only after the relationship has been tested, and its substance clarified? Nevertheless, Hashem puts it first, before explaining that this relationship is about kindness, righteousness, mercy, and justice. Furthermore, we would probably believe that every bond starts with trust, as ambiguous as trust may be, rather than building up to it. However, it seems to me that the order of ideas here communicates to us an insight crucial to founding enduring and meaningful personal relationships. Indeed, if a marriage is to be successful, it must be viewed by both parties as "forever". Presumably it is only after the appropriate criteria of each party have been met that marriage is contemplated, and when the marriage is formulated, nothing short of "life long" should be envisioned. Thus, the marriage's context is created free of tests and judgements, void of places to run, and replete with sharing and realizing shared blessings. It is in that context that Hashem reminds us of the justice, righteousness, kindness, and mercy that he invests into us. Similarly, it is in an enduring marriage that spouses will generously contribute whatever is required. After all, there is precious little in life that would justify limiting efforts that can impact that which is life-long.
Finally, Hashem reminds us how we benefit, time and time again, from His confidence and trust in us, allowing that to override many faults and debacles. The comfort that we have from that inviolable faith gives joy and meaning in one's most frightening and lonely moments. That this indeed describes the utmost in any relationship, I am sure will resonate well with those who enjoy trusting family bonds built on years of willingness to share all of one's blessings. May we all be blessed to understand this profoundly and personally.