It's taken many years to pull away from the historical practice where the parents were the ones to hand pick their child's mate for life.
Somewhere within man's wisdom this practice was over turned to then allow the child to hand pick their own mate.
What does that wisdom look like when arguments take on the shape they do within marriages today?
How much external influence plays a role in defiling what was once agreed upon through the vow of a sacred marriage?
What if marriage were thought of as the chosen venue where a man and woman collectively make the discovery as to what little they each assumed they "Knew" about Love?
It's easy to allow yourself to fall in Love with the idea that God lead you to the one that YOU eventually exchange vows with.
That said, where does that same insightful leading go the day the choice is made to fight against your previous persuasion as Gods choice for you?
Is it before pain comes that one second guesses their hand picked mate?
Where did wisdom run to that was once thought to be at the alter when vows were made?
Has the covenant of marriage changed or has wisdom simply out smarted the ones that have made changes to it's origins?
What if marriage were viewed as is God in that He does not change nor does His oversight concerning marriage?
Has marriage become the arena where immaturity meets its match within the strategic game of give and take?
Finding the exact strand to pull which can unravel the whole garment is not a science to be pursued anymore than allowing one snag to accomplish the same thing.
Have you ever purchased a sweater yet only after you get home you discover it has a serious snag in a highly visible area? What's your first reaction?
Do you take it back and insist that the snag was there before you purchased the sweater? Was the package sealed or had it been opened and handled by others before you purchased it?
How many snags were in your marriage before you took notice of them making the life purchase? Were those snags highly visible or were they hidden beneath a fold?
There is wisdom to be found within the counsel given in the years of youth.
Mal 2:13-16
Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth , because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Has not [the LORD] made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth .
"I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty.
NIV
It's too easy to simply say. "I just woke up one day and it was all undone"! It's even easier to just blame the one that was supposedly the only one that has changed since the marriages took place.
Many don't stop to think concerning their own aptitude to hold their own formal investigation of their chosen mate. Too many fail the entrance exam concerning the basics as to the Full expectations of Love.
Who has wandered outside the kingdom of Faith to find their companion which will one day provide the reflection of your own inability to follow wise counsel?
How easy is it to say, "I was duped after the fact" instead of insisting the voice that has lead you to where you are now doesn't also refresh the memories of your original choice made at the alter?
Is this is true, then who duped who? Did the counsel of Love drag you away from the covenant of your own intentions?
Choosing Life is the continual choice of true Life in the Lord. The Lord which has entrusted you with the breath of Life as His spirit.
If He's entrusted you with Godly offspring, never forget the obligation as such a care giver in the vineyard of the Lord.
If you loose sight of Life's reward consider how the fruits of your labor were then consumed.
Jer 3:24-25
From our youth shameful gods have consumed the fruits of our fathers' labor — their flocks and herds,
their sons and daughters.
Let us lie down in our shame,and let our disgrace cover us.
We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our fathers; from our youth till this day
we have not obeyed the LORD our God."
NIV
True Freedom as the form of mercy shown is the opportunity to find Grace as the Wisdom of the Lord expressed as His Love through Jesus the Christ.
Wisdom is the chief principle. It's more than simply what works for only a short season and brings comfort as these things can change.
Change doesn't come without notice given. Unaware is having ignored the early warning.
Wisdom will always be proved right. There's always the "Right" way when circumstances surround any question at hand enough that doubt is removed as the dominate voice.
If wisdom has not promoted the question at hand, wisdom in turn will prove the motivation for opposition to be in error.
In terms of God holding the essence of wisdom in hand, scripture states with respect to the Lord's counsel, "Let God be true and every man a liar".
Somewhere else it says, "So that He may be proved righteous when He speaks".
Having assumed you also knew what you were looking for in a mate, did you simply miscalculate once again or was it just another series of misreads on your part having misjudged a persons character?
Is it easier to believe the person you chose has changed instead of realizing your own change which occurs also has to accommodate the one you could otherwise grow to despise?
James 1:17-18
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
NIV
