Marriage

We often hear that “Christians divorce at roughly the same rate as people in the world.” Recent studies show that this is not the case.

A Statistics Canada report found that while religious affiliation had little impact on marital dissolution (separation and/or divorce), religious service attendance had a pronounced effect. Among Canadians 25 and older who had ever been married, those who attended religious services occasionally were 10 per cent less likely to have their first marriage dissolve than those who never attended religious services. The risk of dissolution was 31 per cent less for those who attended religious services at least once a month.*

The confusion comes when we associate all of those who say they have a religious affiliation but do not have a living faith. The article goes on to say,

Naturally, claiming to believe something or merely belonging to a church does little for marriage. However, the deeper and more consistent the practice of faith – submitting to a body of committed believers; learning regularly from Scripture; being in communion with God through prayer individually as well as with spouse and children; and having friends and family who encourage deeper marital commitment – the greater difference this makes in strengthening the quality and longevity of marriage.

A living, active faith does make a difference in the life-long commitment of marriage.


*"Divorce, the church, and the world," Glenn T. Stanton, March 24, 2011.

Good Things Come In Threes

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Last June I wrote about the experience of two of our daughters getting married within six months of each other. That was a lot of fun. Now, just ten months later our third daughter has married. We are blessed. We are blessed to have these amazing young women in our lives. We are blessed to have their husbands in our family. We are blessed to have so many family and friends who have shared with us in these wedding celebrations.

Weddings are joyful, social, events that remind us of the rhythms of life. Jesus chose a wedding at Cana to show his first miracle and the book of Revelation tells us that one day there will be a marriage in heaven.

Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:
“Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.” Revelation 19:6-9.

Our family has rejoiced in three weddings in 16 months and still we prepare for the greatest wedding of all.



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Weddings

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Having two daughters get married within six months of each other will either make you feel old or will cause you to think about love and your own marriage.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
1 John 4:16, 17.

My prayer is that each day my own love for God, my wife and my children might grow more perfect. Love one another for love is from God.

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