What an eventful weekend, but at the close of the day, there is one central topic that has stood out to me distinctively, at least through the messages and my conversations with friends over the last day or so.

Pastor today spoke on Matthew 23:16-26. Which was Christ's last public speech where he pronounced the many woes on them. Verse 16 spoke about how the Pharisees desecrate the sacred vows of God, but creating escape clauses and effectively making a mockery out of God's commands. In his sermon, he spoke about how the marriage vow is the only vow that we make in our lives, in front of God: a binding oath so sacred and important in His sight.

"If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth." (Numbers 30:2)

"When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth." (Deuteronomy 23:21-23)

The sheer binding impact and significance of a vow, or an oath hit me as my pastor spoke the message. The vow is something so sacred that it should be kept. And in marriage, my role as the leader of the family is to take care of my wife and love her so much that she is without a doubt, the most important being in this universe besides God. I am to lead her and love her and care for her even if she is sick, in days when I am down and angry, in days when I find it the hardest to love her. I am to love her with all my heart that I would die to protect her, I would suffer to keep her protected and safe, I would honour the sacred union of the marriage. And as Paul Washer puts it, I would say no to every single lady in the universe by saying yes to her. I am to love her unconditionally just as how Jesus loves me unconditionally That is the sheer gravity of the marriage vow and union. Something that should never be taken lightly.

It is a scary thought to know the weight of the responsibility placed upon me as I look forward to the uncertain future, knowing that I must fulfil all these when I have my future wife, otherwise I am no better than breaking God's law in Deuteronomy 23, and being like a Pharisee in Matthew 23. Can I do it? Absolutely not. But I do know with God's grace I can.

The sanctity of the oldest and most beautiful institution that is marriage must be kept, and it underscores the importance that when a family prays together and read the Word together, grows together stronger in the Lord. It is indubitable proof that a godly Christian couple who puts God first, and puts each other as most important in their lives, regardless of the fact that they discovered that they might not be the most compatible couple out there sometime into married life, will grow to love each other more, because God's grace sustains them and lays the foundation for the growth of their love and understanding. This is the sheer beauty of marriage, and as I conclude all these in my thoughts, thank You Lord for revealing this divine truth to me. Thank You Lord for the conversations, messages, sermons that I have unexpectedly gone through the past two days. And Lord, hear my plea, help me with Thy grace, to be a good husband to my wife in the future, that I may love her just like you have loved me. Amen. || posted by Kuan Hui