Pastor Larson’s Corner: The gift of marriage
A few weeks ago my neighbor and friend asked if I would perform the wedding for him and his long-time girlfriend later this summer. The two of them have been going together, on and off, for the past three years. I was surprised that my friend had finally decided to “pop” the question, so I asked him how he came to this important decision. He said, “You probably noticed how much better a person I am with a woman in my life. I finally figured that out, and I want to live the rest of my life as a married man.”
My neighbor was right when he guessed that I noticed a difference in him whenever he and his girlfriend were back together. Having a close and dear companion in life changes us. It helps us become less self-absorbed and turns us out towards the world around us. Like so many other relationships in this life, marriage definitely has the power to make our lives better.
In the introduction to the marriage service in the Lutheran Book of Worship, we read these words: “Marriage is a gift of God, intended for the joy and mutual strength of those who enter it and for the well-being of the whole human family. God created us male and female and blessed humankind with the gifts of companionship and the capacity to love.”
Sometimes we have a hard time believing that committing to a relationship with another human being can actually make our lives better. We may have been hurt when a relationship ended and someone we trusted and loved chose to leave us behind. This causes people to hesitate to make a commitment that involves promises of lifelong faithfulness and love to another person. During the past month, two of my granddaughters have chosen to enter the marriage relationship. When I see how happy they are, I know that marriage, like all human relationships, is a great and wonderful gift from God.
Pastor Larson’s Corner is written by Jerry Larson and appears weekly in the Norwegian American Weekly.
Pastor Jerry Larson retired to his cabin in Zimmerman, Minn., after 39 years in parish ministry for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In 2011 he published a book entitled “Speaking the Word Freely: Writing with purpose, preaching with power.” Contact him at jerlarson@visi.com
This article originally appeared in the April 15, 2016, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
