This last weekend I had the opportunity to take part in my granddaughter’s wedding. Cayton graduated from Valley and was even in one of my Social Studies classes when I was teaching in the classroom here. It was an honor for me to be her teacher when she took part in the Christian Sex Education unit.  I remember that during that unit we talked in class about a practice that a number of the students were taking part in or planned to take part in. The idea was for the dad to take their daughter out to dinner, talk about the wisdom of practicing purity till marriage, and then the dad would give his daughter a Purity Ring for her to wear as pledge that she would wait till marriage to give herself only to the man she wed. As Cayton and Jason stood together before the minister, her father, Scott, took the Purity Ring that Cayton had given him just that day, and told Jason that he was giving it to him as a gift from Cayton signifying that she had been keeping herself pure just for him even before they met each other. As I stood to say a few words to this precious couple, tears of joy pooled in my eyes.  This is what I read to them.
 
I would like to share with you some of my ideas about the Marriage Puzzle.  I call marriage a puzzle because there are many unanswered questions before you are married and, it would seem in today’s world, no guarantee of finding the answers after marriage either. Here then is the puzzle----“How can two people fit together perfectly to find the success and satisfaction they envision for their life after the wedding vows?”

Let me first tell you three ways you might come together that will not solve the puzzle:

1. One is to try to fit together for success based on wealth or fame you can achieve together. Do not make these your goal.   Scriptures say that, “God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory”.

2. A second way is to strive for power and control.  Often one person tries to have power or control over the other thinking that this will bind their marriage together.  Power, control and influence, either in the home or community will only result in turmoil.  Scriptures say to, “Humble yourself and God will lift you up.”

3. And third, there are those who would tell you that to fit together for success and satisfaction will only come when you seek pleasure in each other or the situations you put yourselves in.  This will not work because the scriptures tell us that, “You don’t get what you want from God if all you ask Him for are the things that bring you pleasure”.
         
Now let me tell you how I am convinced that you can have success in fitting perfectly together as a married couple.  As you are joined together today in marriage, it is said that you are to become as one flesh.  Many newlyweds hope that all the things they desire are wrapped up in the person they wed. They pull and tug and try to shape the other to try to make a good fit, but it will never happen that way. God’s plan has always been for Him to do the job of fitting you together.  To me, it is so simple.  Cayton and Jake, you know the successful marriage Nonny and I have had.  Here is the simple way to find God’s success in your marriage as we have found it in ours.

You are close now, but the closeness of marriage is so much greater.  As you stand side by side now, think of God right between you and above you looking down at you both. It is His desire to give you “good gifts”. The scriptures say to “Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you”. Now, imagine this triangle I have just described. As each of you looks up to the Lord and moves closer to Him, what happens?  The two of you are naturally drawn closer together.  And in time---hopefully, a very short time--- you’ll smoothly fit perfectly because you have allowed the Heavenly Father to do the fitting for you.  Mark 10:8 says, "And the two shall become one flesh, so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.” Like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, when joined together as the maker planned it, you will be fitted perfectly together.

And a perfect fit it will be-----this is my prayer for you.  

Coach Hitch