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.