GETTING THE RIGHT PARTNER IN MARRIAGE

       Before two people of opposite sexes would come together for the life journey called Marriage,forming a home,issue of getting to discover and know themselves must has been settled.We cannot talk of home without two people from different background and experiences come together to start and run the home.The quality of person involved in a marriage determines the quality of  the resulting home.Therefore,for the purpose of this write-up,i shall be x-ray how some Bible characters got theirs in their own days and positive lesson we can learn from them.

1.    LET GODLINESS PREVAIL IN MAKING YOUR CHOICES                                        

   When Esau the oldest son of Isaac was forty years old,he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite,and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah[Gen.26 vs 34-35].Esau chose to marry Hittite woman against God's will[Exo.34 vs 10-16]; he also made his choice against his parents' wish[Gen.27 vs 46].

     So,let us show godliness in getting our parent/guardians' blessings in marriage.Never we be in a hurry to choose our marriage partner;the mistake may be irreparable.Esau soon came to terms with his foolishness[Gen.28 vs 6-9],but his attempt to remedy the situation only worsened the situation.Esau neglected God and the godly wishes of his parents in choosing his marriage partner.He paid dearly for it.

2.     BE COOPERATIVE WITH GOD AND YOUR GODLY PARENT

            When Abraham was old and there was time for his son[Isaac] to get married,he said to the man in charge of his household,who was his oldest servant,to go his relatives,and find a wife for Isaac[Gen.24 vs 1-4]. Abraham acted on behalf of Isaac,who also agreed in principle with what the former did.Abraham wouldn't allow his son to fall short of God's standard.

            Marriage choice mustn't pitch us against God[2Cor.6 vs 14]. God created us for a specific purpose.He has created the best marriage companion for us in that purpose.Cooperation with Him will give us the best,and how we meet our spouse have tremendous impact on our past,present and future.We may not get our spouse the way Isaac got his.Yet,the fact remains that we shouldn't push under carpet the consent of our godly parent/ guardians in making our choice.

3.        BE CONTENTED WITH GOD'S BEST

       And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man[Gen.2 vs 23].God created man in His image and knew that he alone could not finish/fulfill the specific responsibilities and regulations He gave to him.And God said,[ to Adam] am going to give him a helper comparable to him,[ a suitable partner for him,a companion who will help him],that he couldn't by himself get from the lower creature.God got and brought him the best[Eve],Adam accepted and was satisfied with God's very best for him.

         Adam's kind of operation is unnecessary for us to get our spouses.However,we must acknowledge that we can only get our suitable spouses and success in marriage from and in God alone[Jeremiah 29 vs 11,Php.4 vs 19].

4.               FOLLOW   INSTRUCTION

         Isaac called Jacob and blessed him,and charged him,and said to him.You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan[Gen.28 vs 1]. Rebekah loved Jacob, scheming for him to escape Esau's wrath.Yet,her observation and desire in [Gen.27 vs 46] as well as Isaac's prayer and charge in [Gen.28 vs 1-5] should be characteristic of every parent who desires to see their children become God's best.

         Jacob's prayer and vow here shows his heart disposition towards God despite his human imperfect and immediately suggest his readiness to obey his father's[and indeed God's] instruction[Gen.28 vs 2]. God would lead anyone who is open to him to the fulfillment of His desire for him/her. Jacob soon got to where he would get his wife. Jacob demonstrated chastity ,by restrained himself despite his love for Rachel until the right time[Gen.29 vs 18-19].can you do this? No wonder the alarming rates of unwanted pregnancies,unsolemnized,accidental marriages as well as  with controversial cildren paternity.

         The intrigues involved in Jacob getting the Rachel he loved notwithstanding,he obeyed his parents' godly desire,demonstrated chastity,was londsuffering and respected Rachel's parents' wish[as was the custom then in this case].

         In conlusion,the only way to get the right partner in marriage is to cooperate with God creator and locator.