Why do we say "I do"?
February 28th, 2011
Last week a chunk of my tooth fell out and I had to go to the dentist for an emmergency filling. While I was waiting, I read a rather sad article in a back issue of Good Housekeeping about the reasons people get married. The case studies included people who wanted to simplify their lives in a legal sense, a couple who wanted a big party, another couple who wanted to celebrate a victory over cancer, and a couple who had recently come back together after a split and felt a sign of renewed comitment was in order.
It made me think about why I got married. To me, marriage is more than that much-demeaned "bit of paper". It is more than a legal contract, more than a chance to wear a big dress and get all my special people in one place, more than a social construct. I understand marriage as one of God's good ideas, a way of making two people belong to each other, for better, for worse. It is a covenant that reflects God's faithfulness and love towards his creation. It is a promise that keeps us, rather than the other way round.
There are lots of valid reasons to get married, but the article made me sad, because no one seemed to honour or even understand the deeper meaning of marriage, and that is a loss to them and their relationship.
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Sue
~ September 13th, 2011 ~ 15:09Thanks Jo,
A really good thought, especially when Steve and I are so close to that amazing day. We both believe in the importance of God being in our relationship and marriage.
For the two of us on Saturday, the most important part will not be seeing all our friends and family, wonderful though that is, instead the most important part will be saying and meaning the Vows to each other in God's presence
