For Ladies

A Life-Altering Decision

Pat Jones

My son was beaming as he revealed his plans to marry a lovely young lady. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 18:22, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." I had faith that his heart was filled with respect for the Bible as God's Holy Word and the laws of God concerning marriage. There would be no greater blessing or honor for him than asking a faithful Christian girl to be his wife and companion for life.

Although I was thrilled with this announcement, I quickly reminded him of the awesome responsibility he would have to his wife. He needed to prepare himself to love her with the highest expression of love as "Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her" (Ephesians 5:25). As I contemplated his life-altering decision, I reflected on Deuteronomy 6:6, 7. Through the years, had I emphasized the sanctity and permanency of marriage? Did he understand the importance of not only loving his wife, but also respecting, appreciating, and forgiving her?

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Paul records the characteristics of love. "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Married couples need to continuously apply these principles to their lives, to their common goals, and to their devotion to God.

From the beginning, God advocated that one woman be married to one man for life. Loving someone involves a unity or oneness to face the storm clouds along with the sunshine and flowers. Would my son acknowledge the fact that Christians are not immune to a world where the divorce rates are continually increasing? Establishing a strong marriage is a challenging job. In order to grow and mature into a deeper service to God and one another, a great deal of time and energy must be invested.

I trusted he and his fiancée understood the enduring nature of marriage as recorded in Matthew 19:4-6. "Have ye not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and the two shall become one flesh? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." May they, as a couple, recognize the beauty of God's plan and the blessings of His divine institution of marriage.

On July 15th, in the presence of God, family, and friends, they vowed to look upon this marriage as a lifetime union. May they, as husband and wife, remain faithful to God, loyal to this relationship, and make the ultimate commitment to help one another go to heaven. -Route 1, Box 109-A, Rivesville, WV 26588.

 

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