Love & Marriage

An old song, sung by many years ago (Frank Sinatra?), was called "Love and Marriage". The lyrics began:
  "Love and marriage,
    love and marriage,
    go together like a horse and carriage..."
It was a nice song with a good message.


 That message seems to be lost to many in the present generation. They want love, but not marriage. But romantic love between a man and a woman was meant to lead to marriage; and home, and children, and family. Love without the commitment of marriage is self-centered. You want to be loved and cared for. You want a steady sex partner. You want someone to meet your needs. Marriage is other-centered. You want to love and care for your spouse. You want to give sexual pleasure to your spouse. You want to provide for the needs of your spouse. You want to join together with your spouse to bring children into your union; to form a family.
  Without commitment love fades when tough times come. Without commitment hearts get broken. (Yes; hearts get broken through divorce as well, but people are more likely to stay together is they've committed to marriage.) Without commitment children suffer and are damaged mentally and emotionally. Without commitment there is no true love, just a nice feeling for awhile.
  God created men and women to compliment each other. Women bring out the best in men and men fulfill many of the needs of women. Without men there would be no women and without women there would be no men! They were meant to "go together like a horse and carriage." Neither is greater or more important than the other.
  In my church they often have renewing of wedding vows for couples married 10, 25 or even 50 years. It always brings tears to my eyes when they get to the part of the ceremony when the presider says that no one but the couple knows the joys, sorrows or trials they have experienced in the years of their marriage. They stayed together "for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health." The witness of their marriage is an encouragement to all--those married and those not yet married.
  If more couples married and stayed married, the world would be a better place. Many of the problems our society suffers from would be eliminated. Children would be healthier mentally, physically and psychologically. Reputable sociological research attests to that.
  So let's do whatever we can to encourage young people to marry; to help young people make good choices in deciding who to marry; to support those already married; to honor the institution of marriage. In the end we all benefit.