Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
The Sacrament of Marriage
“By
this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master” (v14)
Marriage is
one of the most debated topics in the recent times. The gender relationship
within an institution so sacredly authored by God, the creator, was
unquestionable till the recent past. It is so unfortunate now that man is
trying to redefine this sacred institution and turn his face against God. Let’s
look at some statistics. By CDC reports average divorce rate is 3.6 per 1000
Americans, which also represents more than 50% of marriages. In a recent Pew
Trust Survey, the question was asked of unmarried people, a large sampling of
unmarried people, “Do you want to get married?” 46% of those people said yes.
54% of the people in a national survey said no. We, undoubtedly,
are living in a morally declining generation. As Christians, it is our duty to
stand firm for the truth and save the generation from a cultural disaster that
ultimately leads to a Nation’s ruin. As the saying goes “The ruin of a nation
begins in the homes of its people”.
Let’s look at
the passage for today’s meditation. It narrates how Abraham was seeking a girl
for his son Isaac. Abraham-Sara, Isaac-Rebecca, Jacob-Rachel couples are
mentioned (as a song) in our wedding liturgy. In the light of this bible
passage context, let’s examine some of the aspects to consider while taking
this life’s important decision.
Clarity of
mind in communion with God:
Abraham, with his past experience, providence and counsel from God, had a clear
plan when it comes to choosing a woman for his son. He always had the
realization that he was living in a foreign land and considered important that
he is not influenced by the culture around. He realized that a partner from the
same faith for his son is an important aspect in order for them to have a long
lasting relationship. The same is true today. We live in a mixed culture, thus
it is very important to seek the counsel and guidance of God. Prayerfully
participate in this life’s important decision.
Faith
firmed by walk with God:
Abraham is considered our father of faith by his willingness to sacrifice his
own son for the sake of God. Such was his reliance and faith in God. It’s
worthwhile to note his response to Eliezer (v15:2), his servant when asked
““What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I
then take your son back to the country you came from?” He firmly believed in
the promise God gave long ago “To your offspring, I will give this land”. He
added “he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son
from there”.
Beauty of
character is important than external:
It is very encouraging to note the influence of Abraham’s faith on his servant.
We do not see Abraham instructing him anything except for the place to go to.
But he knows his master’s mind and who his master serves. Eliezer’s prayer
before God clearly demonstrates that he was looking for a girl of inner beauty
of kindness, attitude and character and not the external beauty. He knew the
importance of finding a woman with the right heart. But we see God granted
Abraham both. Many of today’s failed marriages are due to our failure in
finding the right heart and go after the external beauty. This is understood
when we learn the fact that an average of 10 billion dollars is spent every
year for external makeups in US.
Prayer: O Lord, help us to protect the sanctity
of the divinely instituted marriage and save this generation from a moral decline.
Thought for
the day: Marriages are
made in heaven, thus it’s not for man to separate.
George Sam, IMTC, Virginia
Theme for the week: The sacrament of
Marriage