'I now pronounce you...'

When we hear the word 'marriage', what's our response? (A) 'Not really interested at the moment, thank you very much'. (B) 'Sometime in the near future would be cool, I think.' (C) 'I'm married but still learning the ropes as I go, because it's a lifelong investment.' Today's thoughts are aimed mainly at group B. But they could be for A's soon, too. And they may resonate for some C's. In other words, let's all take notice.

Many people wait until marriage to make known what they expect from it. Things like ideas for the future, how to serve God together, how to spend/save. These are important and exciting things. But waiting until a clash of opinion forces a friction-filled debate over what marriage is going to look like may not be best.

Instead, getting a clear idea of what we expect marriage to be like (even if it seems obvious...) is a good start. That way, we have it in mind when we meet that special someone, to discuss before we get married. Then, we can compare ideas and maybe even change our ideas accordingly. Going over ideas of what our future might look like doesn't have to be pressured or awkward; working through it together improves the odds of our future being more secure.



So what now? Married or not, write down a list of your expectations for marriage. It'll help you to solidify in your mind what's important to you.





— SCRIPTURE —

'Have respect for marriage.' Hebrews 13:4 CEV
— SOULFOOD —

1 Chr 12:23-15:29, John 9:1-12, Ps 68, Pro 25:21-22