Thursday; June 1

It used to be that June was a popular time for weddings. I don’t know if being a “June bride” was really was as popular as we made it sound, but throughout the years June has often been associated with weddings. It makes sense – school is out, in a lot of places harvest is still a few weeks way and the weather is typically convenient for a wedding. I recently read an article that said October was the #1 month for weddings and September came in second – but June was still popular coming in third.

The reason I bring up weddings in June is more for a teachable moment than any other reason. Since June is upon us, it might be a good time to remind us – not about weddings, but about marriages. I realize that a wedding ceremony is a part of a marriage, but honestly, in the big picture it is a small part. Sure, it is a fun party and establishes the date of our annual anniversary, but when it comes to making a marriage last, a wedding quickly takes a backseat to the day-to-day challenge.

So what is important to making a marriage work? There are a lot of thoughts and philosophies out there, many of which have their foundation in the Bible, but there is one that I believe is often overlooked. The last thing that Paul writes before getting into the nitty gritty about husbands and wives in the book of Ephesians is this, “… and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21. Yes, this applies to Christians in general, but I think it is interesting that it immediately precedes the more detailed teaching on marriage. Maybe there is something subliminal in this placement. When we are willing to subject ourselves to our spouses, much of the rest of the teaching comes naturally.

Whether you have a June wedding or not, do you and your spouse a favor and show deference to each other. When we do this, life and marriage will be better!

Think About It!

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