Happily Tying the Knot

Happily Tying the Knot thoughts on marriage Copyright Doug Blair, Waterloo ON, 2019

I Thee Wed‌

​The wedding gave a chance

To think on those in lineage

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Hurts and hopes of forebears

The gold in family line.

Now this fresh young couple

Respecting vows they crafted

Rings exchanged quite endless

A union for all time.

Didn’t God envision

A joining with old Abram?

Didn’t Christ in covenant

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His Church in white adorn?

Didn’t Heaven look down

And view the New Jerusalem

Shining and in safety

The Home for all twice-born?

Ruth, Rejoicing

Your fairness is undoubted Your workers bless your grace And I am here, a widow Bereft of child and place.

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And gleaning in your barley So mercifully allowed And finding much to gather From one so well endowed.

Naomi says you’re special With ties to all our men And Jewish law invests in you The means for me to smile again.

Enjoying lands once family-owned A baby at my breast.

As Kinsman you redeem it all And Ruth is doubly blessed.

I come now in the even-time

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When you are deep in sleep And settle quiet at your bed And lay down at your feet.

Oh see me gentle Boaz And do the works of law And beckon elders at the gate To heed that custom levirate.

Such wonder that this Gentile maid Should leap from sad despair And trust a farmer’s word and bond And thrive within his care.

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Almost Inexpressible

There are days The Love seems gone Ruffled by some petty strife.

But it only

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Takes a moment To rehearse our wedded life.

To rejoice in Paths once shared And the little Hearts that came.

And to realize A kinship Forged forever in His Name.

And a covenant Holds it all And secures like Wondrous glue.

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You chose me One day forever.

And my Sweetheart I chose you.

 Wedded to You I was having real difficulty getting to sleep. Mind racing. Numerous topics of anxiety. Money. Job stress. Health issues in the family. Future and career for the children. It seemed as if I had to go over all of them before I would allow myself to sleep. Finally at about 3 A.M. I conked out. i am usually a solid sleeper with few dreams. It was unusual therefore that I would be pulled out of sleep at about 5:15 A.M. In my spirit I heard the words,"I am wedded to you". I awoke. Not at all groggy, and began to contemplate what I had just heard. I felt remarkably refreshed. of being part of the "Bride" of Christ. Women have little trouble warming up to the image of the perfect husband. Men often opt out with the concept

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of a team coach or military Captain who is with them in the fray. But no,we are Bride material!

Looking at my own wife, I know that I know we are knit as one. She could do nothing which would turn my affections away seriously. She is my closest experience of unconditional love. I will always put things in the best possible light concerning her. "Love thinketh no evil."

Recently some reading from the book of Job impressed me with the standing of man and wife before God. In the dialogue between God and Satan the enemy had been allowed to attack everything of Job's (children, servants, flocks, herds, beasts of burden, crops) but not his life. His wife lived because apparently God did see the two of them as an inseparable unit!

Now let us take this privileged position of spouse and apply it to the Bride of Christ. Joint heirs. Inseparable. Mutually submissive. Growing unity of thought and purpose. Yeah, I certainly want to be in on that!

And now perhaps I can read the comments of the old Scottish divines a little more comfortably. They were always seeing themselves in the context of the Beloved in the Song of Solomon or as Ruth in that delightful tale of marriage. Imagine hardy Scottish Covenanters heading to the wilds and

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resisting the King's dragoons to the death for the sake of truth and presbytery. Brides, or rather part of the Bride!

Grace now seems a little clearer. Many teachers have often told me that there is no effort on my part which would make God love me more: neither is there any error or stumbling which would make Him love me less. He is ravished by his Bride.

I leave you with the beautiful thought expressed by Naomi to Ruth in chapter three of that book: 18 Naomi said, "Sit back and relax, my dear daughter, until we find out how things turn out; that man isn't going to fool around. Mark my words, he's going to get everything wrapped up today." (The Message)

Like Glue You seem to like him dating these last eighteen months moved in ten months back certainly more than economics

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lots more. but he says enough commitment there already his Mom and Dad bickered lots took the glow off vows for him yo Daddy died when you was only twelve. watch it Girl you need them vows. you covet them witnesses. friends and girders in the tough haul/s. fuggit about fancy and expensive! get her done.

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Under God. Meant to last.

So help you both.

Still Hoping for the HomeÂ

Recently on the radio, driving home, I heard a song entitled ​"Lead Me"​ by the group Sanctus Real. Apparently it has been on the top of the Gospel charts for a period of months. And no wonder!

It is a beautiful prayer for strength for the male singer to be the husband, to be the father that he wants to be in his role in the family. The wife needs cherishing and strength. The children need guidance and companionship.

The man faces real world pressures and buckles to the advertised standard, and not the Godly one. He cries out for God to lead him, strengthen him, be with him.

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It appears that all are "hungry for love", and through God the rich dwelling place of a real home is accomplished.

I love this song. It has been so popular, and this surprisingly so in an age when we suspect that the traditional family is losing ground. Oh for everyone to see the shallowness and starvation of convenient alternatives to marriage, of trinkets for the kids instead of quality time with their parents.

Dass Good, Dass Rill GoodÂ

Yesterday on the Focus on the Family radio broadcast, I heard a wonderful testimony of fidelity in marriage. Robertson McQuilkin was happily married to Muriel, one whom he considered in every respect the perfect wife - in expressing affection, in preferring the other, in shouldering the burdens in partnership, in constant companionship, in endurance in testing.

South Carolina). Muriel ably performed the functions of "first wife" on campus - entertaining, teaching young women's Bible groups, creating radio broadcasts, facilitating study for handicapped students. But in her

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55th year memory obviously began to fade and early Alzheimer's quickly did its terrible work.

After 35 years of marriage, Robertson faced the decision of university responsibilities or intensive attention to his rapidly failing wife. He chose the latter and graciously insisted that it was an easy decision and no perceived hardship. Muriel had so lovingly cared for him in their first 35 years...

For the final 10 years (1994-2004) Muriel was bed-ridden and unable to talk.

Robertson insists that there were rich lessons to be had from his wife even at that point. She could not talk or relate, only grunt occasionally her displeasure or quizzical humour. Still Robertson poured on the love, conversation and encouragement. One day in prayer he was provoked to ask God, "Is that what is going on with us Father? You gladly bestow the love, attention and help, and I offer only slight responses or none at all?"

He believed that He had touched the Father's heart in an exceptional way.

It was about irrevocable promises of love.

An interesting story was also told from a time when the two were still able to take slow-paced walks around their neighbourhood. Robertson had been somewhat down in spirits and had expressed in prayer something like the

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following: "Lord, ever since salvation I have been yours without reserve. I do not presume to ask your reasons for doing things, but you know, even a team coach who pulls a player to the bench will eventually give a hint as to his reasons. Now Lord, if you were ever prepared to give me a hint that would be OK".

The couple, while walking shortly thereafter, overtook an old drunken derelict. Obviously the man was watching them, as they were pacing slowly, holding hands, treasuring the time. The old boy caught up to them, stared straight at them and said, "Dass good. Dass rill good." He repeated himself, turned and staggered away.

"Lord, was that your answer, your hint through this poor, worn-out man?"

The Spirit said yes.

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