MARGIES BIMS

MARRIAGE BEFORE LOVE-GENESIS 24:61-67


A MAN WENT TO HIS PASTOR FOR COUNCELING. IN HIS HANDS WERE PAGES OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST HIS WIFE. AFTER HOURS OF UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING, THE PASTOR COULDN'T HELP BUT ASK, IF SHE IS THAT BAD, WHY DID YOU MARY HER?"

IMMEDIATELY THE MAN SHOT BACK, "SHE WASN'T LIKE THIS AT FIRST!" THE PASTOR, UNABLE TO HOLD BACK HIS THOUGHTS, ASKED, "SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT SHE IS LIKE THIS BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN MARRIED TO YOU?"

WHETHER OR NOT THIS STORY IS TRUE, IT DOES SUGGEST AN IMPORTANT LESSON TO BE LEARNED. AT TIMES, FEELINGS TOWARD A SPOUSE MAY GROW COLD. BUT LOVE IS MUCH MORE THAN FEELINGS-IT'S A LIFE-LONG COMMITMENT.

ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE CHOOSE TO MARRY ONLY BECAUSE OF LOVE, IN SOME CULTURES PEOPLE STILL GET MARRIED THROUGH MATCHMAKNG. IN THE LIVES OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS, LOVE CAME AFTER MARRIAGE. IT SAYS IN CHAPTER 24 THAT ISSAC MARRIED REBEKAH AND THEN HE LOVED HER.

THIS BIBLICAL NARRATIVE DESCRIBES REBEKAH'S DEMONSTRATION OF MODESTY: "SHE TOOK A VEIL AND COVERED HERSELF." IT SHOWED RESPECT FOR ISSAC'S POSITION OF AUTHORITY AND THE NATURE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP. A BETROTHED WOMAN REMAINED VEILED UNTIL SHE AND HER FIANCE BECAME MAN AND WIFE IN MARRIAGE. ONLY THEN MIGHT HER HUSBAND LOOK UPON HER FACE.

BIBLICAL LOVE IS ABOUT OUR WILLINGNESS TO DO WHAT IS GOOD FOR ANOTHER. HUSBANDS ARE INSTRUCTED TO "LOVE THEIR OWN WIVES AS THEIR OWN BODIES." SO, WALKING IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD, LET'S KEEP OUR MARRIAGE VOWS TO LOVE "TILL DEATH DO US PART."

"FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE," WE PLEDGE,
THROUGH SICKNESS AND THROUGH STRIFE";
AND BY THE HELP AND GRACE OF GOD
WE'LL KEEP THESE VOWS FOR LIFE.

LOVE IS MORE THAN A FEELING, IT'S A COMMITMENT. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. I HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

HAVE A HAPPY, BLESSED DAY************
BIBLICAL INFORMATION MINISTRIES-BIMS