It makes a difference

I’m thrilled by my son’s recent engagement. He and his fiance are both devoted to living their lives for the Lord. I’m convinced this (plus the fact that they’re perfect for each other!) will give them an excellent edge for a successful marriage.

Now maybe, like me, you’ve heard about the statistics that say divorce rates among Christian couples are equal to the rates among non-Christians. I didn’t question those statistics; I even repeated them to others! You can bet I was excited to read the following information by Rachelle Gardener, a Christian literary agent, in her blog Seek First His Kingdom.

Gardener says, “Have you ever been curious about the difference in the number of Americans who identify themselves as Christians (85 to 90%), and the number who are actually affiliated with a Christian congregation (50 to 60%)? There’s a huge difference there. It turns out that if you are studying all people who call themselves Christians, you will find their divorce rate is similar to those who don’t call themselves Christians.

“However,” Gardener continues, “when you factor in regular church attendance – the divorce rate is significantly lower. Churchgoing Christians of any denomination are 35 to 50% less likely to divorce than non-church-attending Americans of any or no religion. Let me say that
again: The divorce rate for churchgoing Christians is much lower than the divorce rate of the general population”

(http://rachellegardner.blogspot.com/2009/03/debunking-marriage-myths.html).

Our marriages, along with every other area of our lives, will be better, stronger, and more successful when God is the center of all we do.

Shouldn’t two people (emphasis on two people) earnestly seeking God’s will and walking in obedience to Him be able to work out their problems with His help?

So many people’s favorite “love chapter” in the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13. Verses 4–8 say, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

God is love. When we walk with Him, He will show us “the most excellent way to love” one another.