By GARY ANDREWS
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Several years ago I attended a wedding of a friend of my son. The minister performing the wedding said something that I had never heard before, in a wedding ceremony, and said it loud enough that all in attendance was put on edge. The wedding party had made their way to the front of the church and then the bride came down the aisle and up on the platform. Her father gave her hand to the young man and took his seat.
The minister stared at the groom for a few seconds, which seemed like several minutes, without saying a word and then in a very loud voice said, “Who do you think you are?”
He said this two or three times and had the attention of everyone in the church. The stunned groom looked relieved when the minister’s voice tone came back to normal and he explained why he had said this.
This seasoned minister wanted this young man to understand the importance of marriage and the role of a husband. He did not want the groom to go into this marriage without the assurance that he was ready to fulfill his commitment to his new bride and to God. He wanted both of them to know that it takes two to have a successful marriage and they have to have love for each other without any hesitation. The Old Testament book of Amos 3:3 tell us, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”
So many of our young people of today enter into marriage without the trust of each other and most of the time these two will end up in divorce. Marriage is not to be entered into lightly and if both or either of the happy couple does not have a relationship with the Lord, the marriage will probably endure trouble and many uncertainties. I am not saying this type marriage will not work because many of them have.
Marriages require commitment, love, understanding, forgiveness, dedication, loyalty, and a determination to move forward together instead of individually. I firmly believe that when a man and woman are married and they are well grounded in their Christian faith their marriage will be a huge success and long lasting.
I am very happy to report that after several years of marriage the young couple I was talking about is continuing to enjoy a very happy marriage and both are very successful in their careers. Asking Jesus to be the head in any marriage is the first thing any couple should ask for. There is an old saying that says, “The family that prays together, stays together.” How true this statement is.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the marriage my wife and I have. You have blessed us so much and have been with us through our difficulties and our victories. I pray that any couple getting married will consult you first and ask you to be head of their household. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Proverbs 5:18-20; Monday – Genesis 2:18-25; Tuesday – 1 Corinthians 7:1-7; Wednesday – Ecclesiastes 9:9; Thursday – Song of Solomon 6:1-3; Friday – Psalm 36:7-12; Saturday – 1 Colossians 1:9-12.)
Gary Andrews is the author of Encouraging Words: 30-days in God’s Word. To obtain a copy go to his website www.gadevotionals.com.