With a heading like that, some might be thinking, what's gone wrong... I've been married for only 6 sorry 5 months! The truth is family life is a real joy and it is right for us reformed folk to big up marriage, especially the delights of having a wife (Proverbs 18:22) and the joy of having children (Psalm 128). Nevertheless I'd be a bad pastor if I failed to mention to those in my charge that family life is a labour. There are times, when marriage contains a certain drudgery e.g. doing the chores I'd rather not do (such as getting up early to de-ice the car, talking the rubbish out when it's freezing cold, etc, etc) and failing to warn others of such trials is to set them up for disappointment BIG time. It is right to give the impression that marriage is something to be greatly enjoyed. Nevertheless to give just this impression is to fail to prepare people for marriage.
I'd like to say that these are all original thoughts but I found out today that CS Lewis got there before me and I recommend his excellent essay, The Sermon and the Lunch which I reckon should be required reading for those doing any sort of marriage prep
But surely, if an especially sound evangelical minister takes your wedding service, does this not infallibly make for a problem-free marriage of perpetual tranquility and euphoria?!
ReplyDeleteOf course David. Of course. I was just thinking of all the others out there who couldn't have the privilege of you lead their wedding service ;)
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