Commitment

In most civilizations, marriage is considered a sacred institution that involves the union of two parties, under God, who vow to commit themselves to one another for life.  Americans have become accustomed to ceremonies that involve the exchanging of rings, the recitation of vows, and a litany of other ceremonial offerings, such as the reading of scripture and the lighting of candles.  Invitees may also enjoy some of the great classical masterpieces, such as Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and Canon in D.  The American church has done much to increase the grandeur of the wedding ceremony, as evident in the requisite planning and preparing for every minute detail, from the guest list to wedding cake and thank-you cards.

What is sorely missed throughout all of the hoopla is the genuine commitment of two people to become one in flesh—the sacred unification of two souls.  The American wedding has become much more about pomp and circumstance than it is about God.  We have failed to underscore the commitment and accountability that this decision necessitates, and therefore we discover our divorce rates at jaw-dropping frequency. 

It’s about time that we began to concentrate on the true value of marriage as a sacred institution.  It’s high time we put God first in our wedding ceremonies, making him the centerpiece of our marriages and lives together.  The wedding ceremony should be viewed as the beginning of two people’s lives together, walking hand in hand daily in the direction of Christ’s love.   Because we have failed to view marriage in this high of a regard, we often find ourselves to be lukewarm in our commitment to our spouses.  We lack passion and commitment and thus our lives together become a drudgery instead of a place of rest. 

This realization can be paralleled to our Christian walk, which begs the question, “Why do we continue to be lukewarm Christians?”  Why do we continually find ourselves slipping back into the same old routines that were characteristic of our former life before we came to know the truth of Christ?  It is because we do not love God to the extent that we are willing to submit to a level of commitment that equals that of marriage.  It is because we have not made a genuine vow to him.  We are not passionate enough about our faith to forsake all things for the sake of Christ, and so we continue to selfishly cling to the things that give us the greatest pleasure.  Letting go of our former selves is something that we simply do not wish to do, and we fail to give God 100%.  But God doesn’t want merely a percentage of our lives.  He wants all of us.