Pre-Nup, What?

Once upon a time there was a man, tall, handsome, sucessful but he knew his life was missing something and so he searched the world for the love of his life. The man wanted a woman who would love him and support him as he worked and fought to conquer the world. Then one day, there she was, beautiful, exciting, everything he'd wanted and more and when he laid eyes on her for the first time it was as if a spotlight shown above her head confirming that she was indeed the woman of his dreams. So, shewing away the butterflies in his stomach and taking a deep breath he approached her. She too had noticed him and couldn't believe her eyes when she turned to see the most handsome man approaching her from across a crowded room; it was like everyone faded to black and things shifted to slow motion as this tall, delicious man dressed to kill in a navy pinstriped suit bearing the brightest smile and a hopeful heart entered her space and looked deeply into her eyes. For the next days, weeks, and months the two were inseperable as they got to know each other falling hopelessly in love and soon the magical moment that the woman had long for and the man had dreamt of an planned for became a reality. The night sky was clear with moon shining brightly and the stars twinkled in their appointed places, surely God himself had signed off on this union. The lovebirds sat at a small table draped in white linen and looking dreamily into each other's eyes. Those same butterflies that had fluttered around in his stomach on the night they first met once again had to be shewed away by the man. The woman couldn't believe that she had found such a wonderful person to spend her time with; the gifts and trips were just a bonus for she knew that she would have loved him without all of the extras that came with being with such a successful man. All of a sudden an older gentleman, dressed in a black tuxedo quietly approached the table and began playing the most beautiful music on his violin and the man who had searched the world for the woman of his dreams dropped to one knee and gently took her hand, professed his love and revealed a black velvet covered box as he asked her to share his future, his life with him; the tears flowed from her eyes as she quickly jumped up out of her seat and said, yes, yes, a million times, yes! Hugs and kisses followed and at that moment nothing mattered but the two of them and their life together and one minor detail, the Pre-Nuptial agreement that the man had so quietly and discreetly slipped across the table. She didn't even notice it; it wasn't that he didn't trust her or that he didn't believe that their marriage would last, but a man of his means had to protect himself, right?

How often do we read about or hear reports of the marriages of the rich and famous coming to a screeching end with all of the nasty details strewn across our television sets, internet screens or magazine pages. What once was professed to be undying love now reduced to the division of property, money and custody battles because promises of love in sickness and in health had been exchanged for signatures on dotted lines, escape clauses...just in case. We know the names, Paul McCartney, Michael Jordan, Robert Johnson, Tiger Woods and on and on. In fact, if a wealthy person marries these days without a pre-nup he or she is thought to be stupid and potentially a candidate for future residency in a mental institution.

Can you imagine if God required that we enter a legally binding agreement before he agreed to be our God? Think about all that he has done for us, even creating us; how crazy it would be if he acted or reacted the way we do with each other whenever we fail to live up to a promise. While it is true that God has requirements for us and he has standards for us to live by he still does not divorce us nor does he give up on us and drag us into court at the drop of a hat. Think about the number of times we break the Ten Commandments on a daily basis but God is still there for us willing to forgive us and take us back into his loving arms. On those countless times that we commit a sin, God doesn't put us on blast for the world to see nor does he broadcast a list of our offenses for all to judge and scrutinize. We spend more time on relationships that are most likely than not destined to fail and very little time on the one relationship that can save our very lives!

It's time for us to renew our vows with God and to promise to stay true to Him, to cleave only to him until death; for even in death we will not be parted from him! God promises to never leave or forsake us. It's our turn to begin a new relationship with the One who made us in his image and will never break a promise to us! God is love and he is dependable, true and wants only the best for us! Now that's what I call a marriage made in heaven!

Be Blessed...