Today the “institution of marriage” provokes many opinions – some religious, some secular, and all driven by influences around us. Isn’t it odd that so many will not consider the scriptural source that defined it? ♦

Marriage is deeply entwined with physical and emotional desire. In the verse below, the Bible’s Song of Solomon beautifully captures this sensual aspect of the marital bond designed and created by God as ordained in Genesis: Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Marriage Models and Expectations
But beyond the physical and emotional, we each also come to marriage with dreams and expectations. These visions and hopes may be firmly ingrained in our hearts and minds and arise from long-standing models or examples in our lives (parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, parents of friends, book characters, etc.). Or they can be locked up subconsciously or even be motivated out of fear or negative experiences in life. Either way, we all have “desires of the heart” relative to our marriage that can be articulated and consciously noted reflecting personal hopes and aspirations for this momentous formal union of two lives.

Sometimes these marital dreams and expectations are rooted in a religious upbringing or even motivated against a particular religious heritage or obligation. Consequently some wedding services are conducted as a religious ceremony or secular event merely celebrating two individuals coming together in love and for love.

Regardless
Yes, marriage is by default steeped in our personal baggage and nuances of thought, life experiences and influences. What is not negotiable however is that this God-designed institution is nothing if not deeply rooted in its Creator.
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“The winter is past, the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come…. Arise, come my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” (Song of Solomon 2:11-13)

Categories: Marriage, Theology

Tags: man and woman, marriage institution, religious ceremonies, Song of Solomon, weddings