Marriage Matters
by Marit Heidbreder
The summer wedding season is in full swing! We recently traveled to the nuptials of one of my dear nieces on a beautiful ranch in Wyoming. It was an outdoor wedding ceremony bathed in warm sunshine with the stunning backdrop of a bubbling brook gently flowing behind the altar. The weather cooperated beautifully, and the guests were thrilled by the breathtaking flowers and thoughtful details. My sweet niece and her husband chose to save their first kiss for their wedding day – it was such a precious moment as they were pronounced husband and wife before their Creator and guests! Now the fairytale begins, right?
Despite appearances, many things went wrong prior to that perfect ceremony! It’s not important to share all the details, but suffice it to say that numerous struggles arose in the 24 hours leading up to the big event, including a crazy hailstorm. Maybe you can relate? Weddings can bring all kinds of stress and drama as they come with the pressure of potentially being the most important day in the life of the bride and groom.
As weddings are often extolled as the beginning of a fairytale life together, I appreciated the truth of the situation held within their selected Scripture and elaborated on by their minister. The couple’s wedding verse was taken from Ecclesiastes 4:12, “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him – a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Anyone who has been married knows that while there are countless fairytale moments, as mentioned in John 16:33b, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Through the gift of Godly marriage between a man and a woman, we don’t have to face the hardships of life alone. In fact, we don’t even face them just side-by-side as a couple. Christian couples have the infinite power of Almighty God as the third strand to their cord as they navigate the joys and trials of life. It was an amazing blessing to witness this young couple’s entrance into Holy Matrimony, knowing that while they don’t know what is ahead, they do know their Creator is with them every step of the way, providing His strength and wisdom for each day!
As my husband and I come up on our 25th wedding anniversary, I look back and remember many instances when God faithfully provided His strength and supernatural help to our circumstances. Praise God for His incomparable gift of marriage and family!