‘Till death do us part…’  No month of the year puts us more in the mindset for loving, romantic relationships than February, because February is the month in which we celebrate Valentine’s Day. And because statistics tell us it is also the second most popular day for a proposal of marriage. When we think of marriage, we have to think of love as well. A marriage without love would be a car without an engine; a human life without a heart or lungs. This love that exists between these two individuals is a pretty incredible thing. It’s a sacrificial love, a love that perhaps for the first time, is choosing beyond itself to fully commit, fully submit to another.

When such a choice, between a man and a woman, is mutually made to “commit and submit” to another as life partners, this is what is rightly referred to as “monogamy”, and this is what God, in His word, has ordained. This love was not “fallen into”, nor is it a static love that will be the same 5, 10, of 50 years from now as it is right now. It’s not a love that depends upon appearance or health or wealth, rather it’s a love that you choose to demonstrate and act on. It’s an act of the mind as much as an act of the heart. Agape’ love. C.S. Lewis called it “gift love”.

So this man and this woman, in their conscious choice of one another make vows to one another, promises to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health… of all the promises that can be made between the two of them, the main idea is the commitment of two lives to one another, “for as long as you both shall live.”

In this physical life, “as long as we both shall live”, is all any of us have to promise (Hebrews 9:27).  Jesus said in Matthew 22:30 in answer to the Sadducees questioning Him about marriage at the resurrection, 30 “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”  But Scripture always references the body of Christ, the Church, or in the Old Testament, when referring to Israel, it refers to God as a Husband and Israel as His bride.

Jeremiah 3:14 “Return, faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband. I will choose you – one from a town and two from a clan – and bring you to Zion.

On earth God cares for and protects Israel as any affectionate husband would. He looks after them in spite of their unfaithfulness, and yet they bear the name of the people of the God of Israel, they share in His wealth, reap the benefit of His wisdom and guidance. He continues to treat them as a husband who wants only to spare His bride any grief or public disgrace (Mt. 1:19).

Charles Spurgeon says, “In heaven they marry not, but are as the angels of God; yet there is one marvelous exception to the rule, for in heaven Christ and His Church shall celebrate their joyous nuptials. This affinity as it is more lasting, so is it more near than earthly wedlock.”

In Christ,

Rick

Tools – The necessities for your Christian walk. – Article by, Mari-Anna Sta