Recently, we attended the wedding of a relative. It was a big, beautiful event. As a guest, we really enjoyed the day. Having been part of wedding planning in our own family, we understood the months and months of planning that had gone into making this the perfect wedding.
It’s a big thing to get married. You have to find a suitable person with whom you can imagine sharing the rest of your life. Once that is decided, there are many, many more things to decide, all of which are going to cost a lot of money. The big wedding business has developed around this (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime event.
Even before the wedding day, there is the big proposal. When hubby proposed to me, it was a simple event. Just the two of us in a park, and we went out to dinner afterwards. Later, we went to the jewellers and chose an engagement ring together.
That’s not the way things are done today. Oh no! The man must sneakily find out what type of ring his lady might like, and her finger size, then get it made. He then organises a special venue and photographer. Then the whole event is shared on social media.
Planning for the Perfect Wedding
Next comes the wedding planning. No longer do the happy couple just think about each other. Now they must spend enormous amounts of time planning the perfect wedding day. Apparently, they need to be unique in everything they do. She must be the perfect bride and must have HER perfect wedding day.
“The display of the bride is another objective [of a wedding], which is rarely stated but is always present. Her time has come. She commands attention and, presumably, the groom’s affection, and the more money is spent on her, the more important she will appear.” https://cosmopolitanevents.com.au/why-are-weddings-so-important/
Then, after the bride and groom return from their perfect, blissful (and expensive) honeymoon, they need to choose which of the thousand photos of their perfect wedding day to purchase and display.
God Invented Marriage
It’s interesting that God has a lot to say about weddings and marriage.
Although some may think that humans invented marriage, or perhaps that a wedding is just a ritual developed by big business to make money, the Bible teaches that marriage was invented by God. Marriage is a gift of God.
Way back in the Garden of Eden, after Eve was created from Adam’s rib, the Bible describes this as the first marriage:
Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24 (NKJV)
Jesus affirms this foundational principle of marriage in the New Testament:
“Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Matthew 19:4-6 (NIV)
God Loves Us Like a Bridegroom Loves His Bride
My last post, I Just want to be Loved, noted God’s unfailing love for us. God says that His love for us is like that of a bridegroom for his bride.
As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
Isaiah 62:5 (NIV)
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
2 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV)
I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.
Hosea 2:19-20 (NIV)
I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.
“I will betroth you to me forever.” Unlike human marriages that can fail, God’s commitment is eternal.
“In righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.” God states His character and who He is.
“In faithfulness.” God is faithful, even when His people are unfaithful.
“And you will acknowledge the Lord.” Our relationship will be restored, and we will recognise and honour God.
The Prophet Hosea – an amazing story
If you want a deeper exposition of God’s love for His unfaithful people, take a look at the book of Hosea. Hosea was a prophet who was instructed by God to marry a prostitute to portray Israel’s infidelity to God. He marries Gomer, yet she is unfaithful, and an adulterous wife. In his own life, Hosea lives out God’s anguish over the betrayal and rejection of His people. God longs for intimate fellowship with us, even when we repeatedly look for other lovers. God wants us to return to Him. Even when we are unfaithful, God continues to love and cherish us and provide a way for our restoration.
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.
2 Timothy 2:13 (NLT)
God Wants to Draw You to Himself
God is calling you! He wants to be your first love. He wants to be your greatest love.
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)
For your Maker is your husband — the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
Isaiah 54:5 (NIV)
The Eternal Marriage Feast
When I write on wedding cards, I often wish the couple joy, not just for the day, but for the long years ahead. As much as we plan for the perfect wedding day, things can go wrong.
As beautiful and special as the wedding day is, it is meant to be the beginning of a lifetime together. God invented marriage and He wants to bless our marriages. We all want to be able to say, “And they lived happily ever after.”
But maybe that’s not really possible. As much as we expect them to be, our spouses will not be perfect. And as perfect and as madly in love as we think we are, we are going to do some very unloving things to each other. I remember the pastor who married us saying in the wedding sermon that we would even hate the person standing next to us. Ouch!
In contrast, God says He is the perfect husband.
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
Revelation 19:7 (NIV)
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
Prayer
Dear God
Thank you for your perfect love, no matter how difficult my circumstances may be.
Thank you that you love me like the perfect spouse; that you draw me with your unfailing kindness and love. Forgive me when I look to other things and other people, to fulfill my greatest needs for love and belonging.
Thank you for the gift of marriage. We pray for all married couples to look to you first to meet their needs. Fill each individual with your overwhelming love and forgiveness. In the knowledge that You know them intimately, and yet you still love and forgive, enable each one to share that love and forgiveness with the other.
Please guide all those who are searching for a godly spouse. Help them to be a godly person. Thank you for the gift of singleness.
Forgive us for our selfish expectations of perfection, or even for self-indulgent pleasure. Forgive us when our demands aren’t met, and we judge and punish other people.
Remind us of your undeserved forgiveness. And help us to extend that same forgiveness to our spouses, our families and other people.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Note:
If you are experiencing difficulties in your marriage, or if anything in this blog has raised issues for you, please seek help.
For crisis support, call Lifeline 13 11 14.