Marriage.

No. That is my first comment on this blog. Because I know that some of you have already made assumptions based on what I titled this entry. I say no, not because I don't have a desire to get married, simply that at this juncture I am not. However, I have thought about it lately because of some devotional passages and conversations with friends. What I have concluded is that, sadly, we have a very low view of marriage in our current culture. Over the past few years I have witnessed a number of marriages end, people who were close to me and some who were not. And it breaks my heart each time I hear another story of a couple breaking up.

I believe that statistics are starting to tell us the we are leveling out in the divorce rate. Children are reacting somewhat to growing up in an era where divorce was rampant. The election of Barack Obama, and his outspoken stance that we need good fathers in our homes, I believe will have an impact on the family in certain sectors. But at the same, I work with students, and I know that so many of us are buying the lie that a marriage commitment is simply based on feelings. In a book I read recently, the author noted a survey of students who were asked when it was okay to have sex. The majority response was "If I love someone enough." The problem with that, she commented and I agree, was that our children have bought into the lie that feelings are more important that God's design and standard for marriage. For the many divorces I have seen, I think too many have let feelings be the barometer of success.

If we take this example to our relationship with Christ, we run into a problem. How many of us who call ourselves Christians would say that following Christ is always easy and feels good? Certainly not. And the Bible even paints a beautiful picture of a marriage between the Bride (The Church) and the Bridegroom (Christ). Charles Spurgeon comments that on earth Christ "exercises towards her (us, his bride) all the offices of a husband. He makse rich provision for her wants, pays all her debts, allows her to assume his name, and share in all his wealth. Nor will He ever act otherwise to her. The word 'divorce' He will never mention, for 'He hates divorce' (Malachi 2:16)." Women, how many want a husband like that? Men, how many want to love our wife like that? How wonderful, comforting and glorious is it to know that now matter how often we sin against God. No matter how many times we turn our back on him. No matter how often we run to "other lovers," he takes us back. He will never leave us. He will walk with us through the greatest pain of life. Make no mistake, when we turn our back on him and walk away, it pains him SO deeply. And there lies the reality that we have a God who can "sympathize with us in our weaknesses."

If you are reading this, my challenge to you and me, is that we would get a godly perspective on marriage. Commitment trumps feelings. Sacrifice trumps selfishness. Forgiveness trumps anger and bitterness. And humility is needed on the part of both, as we lay the one who knows us so deeply at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior.

Marriage is not easy... or so I hear. But I have high hopes when I finally find the love of my life. For now, I am learning to constantly surrender her to Jesus and become more like him.