"How can I Know Who To Marry"

At the age of 24 *still young bhaaa hehe...* I was curious, what age should I settle down and having my own family and who should I marry???. This is a major issues I think in my life. As I should find the right guy to settle down..hehe...but the problem is I'm single..*I think* hahaa.... Honestly for me marriage is not as easy as we think.  Because it need the commitment of two people that really want to be together, by accepting all the differences between them and live as one. 

Lucky me, that day I got the books from the RBC in my church. One of the books that I receive the title is  "How can I Know Who To Marry". Yupp....that's is what I really needed, the answer to my big question. So this book will be the first book that I'll finish, as I'm very excited about this issues. There is 4 main content of this book which is: 

1)A perfect Match......

2)How can I Know who to Marry...

3)Is It Love?....

4)"I Do".....

1) A perfect Match

What can I summarize for this chapter is, to find the perfect match is not easy, some people using the matchmaker to find their match, some their marriages are arranged by the family (Usually the father). But some people can getting married for the wrong reason. A young person might enter marriage on the basis of romantics feelings alone or only cold facts. A divorce person might remarry without having learned from the mistakes of the past, only to marry kind of person for the wrong reason. This chapter also mentioned the Bible offers helpful principles that apply to young or old, first-time marriages or second-time marriages, arranged marriages or romantically induces ones which will be discus in depth in the next chapter. 

2)How can I Know who to Marry... 

 In this chapter, the writer mentioned about how God can lead two people together. Which is the the bride and the groom is Rebekah and Isaac. We can refer to the bible which is in the books of Genesis 24, there is several principles that we can applied today. If you don't have bible, here is the links to that verse.  Holy Bible Genesis 24 or the Malay translation is Alkitab Berita Baik Kejadian 24

In order to get a complete picture of how we were know who to marry, there we few findings that being combine by the writer from the other part of Bible which is under the following headings: 

i) Choose A Believer   

ii) Trust God

iii) Consider Character

iv) Use Wisdom

v) Think Ahead

i) Choose A Believer  

Why should choose a believer?.. Oil and water do not mix, a mouse and a boa constrictor would not make the best of friends. Nothing should be more important to you or to the person you marry than your spiritually well-being.

Deuteronomy 7: 3-4  "3 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. 4 For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly.''

ii) Trust God

To find the right person is not easy, but we need to Trust God. What can i conclude for this chapter is, some people were having their match but because of this world is imperfect some people we gifted with singleness by God. Because God has a plan for them. one of the topics in this chapter is "How Should we pray for God to leads us to a husband and wife?" the answer is "Often and long! God is intimately interested in hearing your request concerning matter. As you bring your requests before Him and submit yourself to His direction, you can be sure that He will give you nothing but what He wants for you (Ps 37:4, Mt 7:7-12) 
 iii) Consider Character

 There is so many point that this books discus, but the most interesting point of discussion is the question of  "What character qualities are important for people entering marriage today?"
Here are some traits you should look for in others and develop in yourself:
1.Humility And Willingness To Serve
2.Sexual Purity
3.Devotion To Christ
4.Right Priorities
5.Right Belief
6.Commitment To The Church
7.Loving Attitude
8.Self-Control
9.Honesty
10.Beauty Below The Skin
11.Responsibility
12.Good Relationship With Parents

3)Is It Love?....

"True love is more than a sensation though you may feel on top of the world when you are with the one you love" 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

" ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Substitutes your name and the name of the person you're considering for marriage wherever the word LOVE occurs. See how you measure up the biblical pattern. 

          is patient,

           is kind.

          isn't jealous, 

          isn't  boast,

          isn't arrogant.

          isn't rude,

          isn't  self-seeking,

          isn't  easily angered,

          doesn't hold grudges. 
          doesn't delight in evil 
         rejoices with the truth.  

          protects

          trusts, 

         hopes, 

         perseveres."

4)"I Do".....

Two little words with awesome implication. This word also remind me of my company during GEMS, which is "Yes I Do Wedding Planner & Co.Ltd". This word is the symbolic of wedding, which represent a man and woman willingness to enter into a special relationship and to promise their love and devotion to each other for a lifetime. But, before you say "I Do" to your partner, you must first to say it to God. Which is God has offer us the the proposal of the forgiveness of sin. The condition of this marriage is so simple. Just say "I Do" to God, tell Him that you have admit your need of forgiveness (Rom 3:23) and accept the free gift of eternal life that Jesus Christ died on the cross to buy for you. The writer says that, if you've done that, you have taken the first all important step in finding the person who will walk with you and Jesus Christ.