Sunday, December 21, 2014

On Marriage

I think back today on marriage. Why? It's our anniversary! I started to say "my anniversary", but that cannot be. Unlike a birthday, the anniversary of marriage is a party of two parts. It must be "our anniversary" or else why celebrate it?

Before my marriage, I knew that two new worlds often collide. Each of us brought into the marriage common things, but things which collide as well. The hope is that the overlap of the worlds is large enough that when the world's collide the collision is manageable. The ability of managing marital collisions is what love is all about. To soften the impact of marital collisions airbags of commitment soften the blow.

Yes, marriage is a commitment! I made the standard marriage vowels, but in addition, added more obligation to myself. Marriage has one loop-hole and that is infidelity. Sometimes I play an awful tune, but that disharmony has never happened. I take my marriage seriously because I wrote serious vowels. The vowels were to parties of three parts: me, my wife and God. When the first two parties tangle, God untangles. However, the parties of the first and second part must always remember that marriage isn't about two people, but three!
Matthew 19:6 Wherefore they (the married couple) are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
"They" are the parties of the first and second part in the marriage contract and God is the third party. He has commanded "let not man put asunder". Most often it's a fourth party which drives a marriage asunder (divide). God doesn't break the contract. Only the first two parties can and the devil's adversaries who delight in the destruction of what God joined together. Let no man divide a marriage. Let no woman divide a marriage! Why? It's an holy institution!
Matthew 25:1 "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom."
The Church is the bride represented by the ten virgins (churches) who  is being married to the bridegroom who is Jesus! Some were faithful. Some were not. There was infidelity in the marriage. Because some brides of Christ were unfaithful to him is why it's so important for the brides that do, to remain faithful to him. Half of the marriages of the churches to Christ were put asunder!

Because marriage is symbolic of Christian's relationship to Jesus is why the sanctity of marriage is important to God! He left no loop-hole, but the one taken by five of the brides: infidelity. Why would God expect his bride to remain committed to him if the bride is never committed to the husband!

"It's all about love!", you say! Jesus's relationship with his bride the Church, was about love. Half his brides failed to love him. That was infidelity. Because of the marriage vowels, the brides were commanded to love Jesus, but they failed to. That's infidelity! In a marriage failure of the parties to love each other is unfaithfulness. It matters not that a fourth party has triangulated because the opportunity for that is forthcoming with "asunderness" (sic).

My devotion is sometimes week and my love at times putrid, but commitment is always strong. That's when God cushions the impact of daily collisions. It's not me that holds the bonds of marriage. It's him. As I forget at times to remain strong, he pulls the bridal rein a little tighter. He shields my collision from explosion and implosion. He is my comforter and the source of my love. It's from him as to why I love the bridegroom and from him why I love the bride.

Think on these things!


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