Marriage - Wedding Day

Yes, that joyous day of your dreams is finally here. It is the beginning of a journey of many decades. But note, you are not the only celebrant, both parents have also been looking forward to this day, so give them some allowance.

Don't spend beyond your abilities, it is only a day afterall. Basically only 4 things are necessary: Legal acceptance, parental consent, at least 2 witnesses and vows before God represented by the priest, shikena.

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.[Genesis 2:24]

But if a man thinks that he's treating his fiancée improperly and will inevitably give in to his passion, let him marry her as he wishes. It is not a sin. [1Corinthians 7:36]

You cry out, "Why doesn't the Lord accept my worship?" I'll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.[Malachi 2:14]

Marriage - God's idea

Despite the distortions, marriage is not a social, ethnic or cultural construct, it is God's idea, it originates from God. It's purpose is for companionship, pleasure, procreation and extending the divine mandate of dominating and subduing the earth.

Thus to make marriage work, the husband and wife must leave their social or cultural marriage biases and embrace God's manual for a successful marriage, the Bible. Build your marriage on God's word.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them ...[Gen 1:27 & 28a]

The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Gen 2:18]

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. [GEN 2:21-23]

But God made them male and female' from the beginning of creation. This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together [Mark 10:6-9]

Marriage - Forgiveness

If there is one ingredient most important in a marriage, that would be forgiveness. A perfect marriage is not made up of perfect individuals rather it is made of persons who have perfected the art of forgiving.

Make allowance for each other's faults and forgive each other genuinely from your heart without reference to past wrongs. You are strengthened in Jesus name.

Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.[Colossians 3:13]

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too." [Mark 11:25]

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.[1Corinthians 13:4-5]

Marriage - submit to him

The basic instruction for a wife in scriptures is to submit to the husband. Submission is acknowledging that even though you are both equal partners in the marriage, the husband is the leader.

Submission is not agreement and he will not always be right, but it is honouring him as the head and deferring to him. And please note ma that it is an independent instruction, you submit even when he is not showing love as you want it.

Wives be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. [1Corinthians 3:1]

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.[Ephesians 5:22-24]

Marriage - Love her

It is worth noting that husbands are constantly admonished to love their wives, and the only worthy comparison of the type of love is that which Christ has for the church. Sacrificial loving and building her up with the word.

Treat her with respect and understanding. When you love your wife, you are actually *loving yourself and eliminating hindrances to your prayers*. Again the instruction to love is independent of whether your wife submits or not. Just keep loving her.

Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church--a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor--since they're already "one" in marriage.[Ephesians 5:25-28]

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.[Colossians 3:19]

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.[1Peter 3:7]

Marriage - Finances

Family finances is one of the most thorny issues in marriage. But it shouldn't be. Both have become one and the prosperity of one is the prosperity of the both.

In addition, headship comes with responsibilities, the husband must know that the care of the family falls primarily on him. While the wife should and will help out when needed, the responsibility of provision is that of the husband. The Lord prosper you abundantly in Jesus name

After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." [Ephesians 5:29-31]

But those who won't care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. [1Timothy 5:9]

What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.[Isaiah 58:7]

Marriage - Togetherness

Marriage is primarily for companionship but in the midst of work/business, family and children, we sometimes forget this purpose.

Make time to do things together, pray, play and watch movies together. Also, deliberately create time to talk about yourself, your plans and your prayer points. Enjoy each other's company and strengthen each other. *Sexual intercourse bonds couple*. Your marriage goes from strength to strength in Jesus name.

But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. The husband should fulfill his wife's sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband's needs.[1Corinthians 7:2-3]

GOD, not you, made marriage. His Spirit inhabits even the smallest details of marriage. And what does he want from marriage? Children of God, that's what. So guard the spirit of marriage within you. Don't cheat on your spouse.[Malachi 2:15]

Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth[ Proverbs 5:18]