PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN MIGHT FIND THIS INTERESTING

PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN MIGHT FIND THIS INTERESTING
I praise the Lord for the wonderful service we had yesterday, though the format was a little different, even for us.

FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP
After service, we ate dinner together and then we sat around and talked or played games. As usual, the meal was outstanding. The discussion was interesting and lively. I thought about how helpful it could have been for so many more people.

FACING FUTURE FOES
I have been thinking about the difficult days ahead for Christian families, especially young Christians, in so many ways. One problem will be finding a mate that is Biblically sound and spiritually equipped to stand firm for Christ in the testings that will come their way, as our nation becomes more hostile to the message of Christ.

FINDING FRIENDS
For some time it has been more difficult for Christian singles to find a husband or wife than it use to be. Face it, there are not that many "on fire" Christians around. Even those who go to large churches often have to go elsewhere to find someone to marry. Social events, concerts, group outings, conferences, camps, retreats, associations, mutual friends, multi-church gatherings, online groups, online dating services are some of the ways that people look for the right person. It takes this many different ways, because it is more difficult to find someone who is a good prospect of marriage today. How sad when people settle for someone below minimum standards, simply because they become "desperate."

ARRANGED, REALLY?
Someone mentioned, "arranged marriages." Of course, most people in the West recoil at such a thought. However, the term does not mean the same to everyone, and in fact it does not mean the same thing to all people in the same Eastern cultures. Actually, most marriages, in the West are "arranged" to a certain degree. Marriages that are left to "serendipity" (bars, single weekend decisions, pressured decisions) usually end in disaster.

LEVELS OF ARRANGED MARRIAGES
(various cultures; this is not an endorsement, just a list).

Typical Eastern (culturally binding or legally binding)
Arranged by both sets of parents before birth of children, and binding on those children.
Arranged by both sets of parents, planning for the well being of their children, binding.
Arranged by both sets of parents, contingent upon young people's approval, and can be cancelled.

Typical Western (freedom of choice is prevalent)
Arranged by families through social connection, associations, schooling. This is not an arrangement with a specific family, but within a certain cultural strata.
Arranged by social pressure, through cultural, religious, economic, educational, political, ethnic associations.

ALL ARE ARRANGED
Most marriages in the West are arranged to a degree. The parents provide their children with the guidelines and the connections for a good marriage. Singles are free to either accept or reject these guidelines and connections or they can make their choice within these boundaries.

Christian parents should not shy away from offering guidance, standards, insight, counsel to their children concerning marriage. Singles should not resent or reject the love, concern, wisdom and understanding of Christian parents.

Let's face it, all marriages are arranged in some way, either deliberately or by default. Either by wisdom or foolishness. People do not make marriage choices in a void.

LET GOD ARRANGE
Ultimately, God should be the Arranger of every marriage. God provides His leading through parents, family, pastor, church, fellow believers. Christian singles should readily and thankfully receive God's directives and insight. Bad influences can lead to major catastrophes. While the single person will make his or her own choice, he does not create his choice like pixels and sprites in a computer program. We all have to work with what is available, we cannot invent our own reality. No one is an island.