“The servant of Abraham said, God has blessed my master – he’s a great man; God has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, servants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. And then to top it off, Sarah, my master’s wife, gave him a son in her old age and he has passed everything on to his son. Go to my father’s home said Abraham, back to my family, and get a wife for my son.’ ‘But what if the woman won’t come with me, said the servant?’ Abraham said, ‘God before whom I have walked with faithfully will send his angel with you and he will make things work out.” – Genesis 24:34-41 (MSG)
* * * * *
June remains the most popular month to wed. People believe June to be that magic month to enter a marriage planned for success. What is marriage? Are marriages really made in heaven?
Well, marriage is a holy covenant, voluntarily entered, and God is in it! It is a covenant founded on the twin pillars of love and loyalty. What marriage is not is an experiment or something to be entered into casually or lightly; neither is marriage a cold and legal contract.
Marriage is also about love between two people. And this love comes from God who is the source of all love; it is a love that gives, a love that grows and a love that is eternal.
Only God’s love can establish a marriage to endure the testing that will come. Maybe that is why parents tend to plan wedding ceremonies for their children. Though not as common these days, years ago parents would select a child’s mate from families they knew. Parents would look into the family’s backgrounds, religious beliefs, even their core values or economic status.
Think about the wedding ceremony that Abraham planned for his son Isaac. Abraham came from strong family tie s and riches. But Abraham was dying; so he sent a nameless servant back to his relative’s home. It was there the servant found Rebekah, the bride-to-be.
When the servant asked for Rebekah, her family said, “this is the Lord’s doing. We have nothing to say, but let’s ask Rebekah, Will you go with this man?” When Rebekah said yes, she was responding to the obvious question sent by Abraham’s son, Isaac, “Will you marry me?”
As we better understand this story, it somewhat reminds us of our marriage relationship with Jesus Christ. We are the children of God the Father. And ever since the foundation of the world, God has been planning the most indescribable wedding ceremony for you and for me. In other words, when we first meet Christ, we fall in love and agree to be in relationship with him. It is at that time we are being invited to a wedding ceremony – not as mere guests – but as the bride of Jesus Christ? No doubt, this marriage is definitely made in heaven.
Yet, I am convinced that when a marriage has been planned for us it seems a little mysterious or even frightening. But just like Rebekah who was eager to marry, we too should be the same when it comes to Jesus Christ. To sustain a good relationship one must be willing to choose, to change and to commit. To be called by God into a right relationship with Christ is an honor beyond compare; it is like magic as well as a mystery.
What are you married to?
Know that Jesus stands at your door knocking – with arms stretched out wide – and with a marriage proposal in hand, saying, “Will you marry me?”
Dr. Marion J. Miller is the lead pastor of Later @ St. Luke’s, an evening multicultural worship service at 6 p.m. and located at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St. Check out her webpage at www.stlukesumc.com/worship/LATER. She may also be contacted at (317) 846-3404 or millerm@stlukesumc.com.
