This is the devotion that I gave at a bridal shower for a lovely, young lady who is now my daughter-in-law.
Watch Video for more info on the Shower:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlc7GVzHv-M
I opened by welcoming everyone and thanking them all for coming. Then I introduced myself. I explained that I used 10 verses from the Bible. Some were specifically about marriage, and some had an application towards marriage. I paired each Bible verse with a quote from various individuals.
#1 Galatians 6:2
"Bear ye one another's burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
-Cardinal Point- "Marriage is NOT 50/50. Divorce is 50/50. It isn't dividing everything in 1/2, but giving everything you've got."
#2 Ephesians 5:33
"Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."
-Cyndi Kane (Pioneer Woman's Friend)- "I once heard that a woman's greatest need in marriage is to be cherished and a man's need is for respect."
#3 Malachi 2:16 God hates divorce.
"For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that He hateth the putting away." "Putting away" is referring to divorce.
-Tom Baker (Preacher in Los Angelos. This is a paraphrase as I remember it)- "When a man and a woman are getting married, they should have an agreement between them that divorce is not an option. Agree today that you will never even say the word "divorce" when speaking of your marriage."
#4 Ephesians 4:29
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."
-Joni Eareckson Tada- "With our words we either beat the life out of our marriage or we cultivate, feed and water it to ensure happy years ahead."
#5 Romans 12:15
"Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep."
"Sharing joys and sorrows with your spouse is a great pleasure and a great comfort. Not only rejoicing together, but sorrowing together will bring you closer."
#6 Hebrews 13:5. Contentment
"... Be content with such things as ye have; for He saith, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."
1 Timothy 6:6
"Godliness with contentment is great gain."
-Elizabeth Elliot-" If you are married, then accept that. Accept the husband that god has given you. If you are single, accept your singleness and take it as if today was the last day of your life. Don't be looking constantly to the future."
#7 Galatians 6:2
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
-C.H. Spurgeon- "It should be the husband's pleasure to please his wife, and the wife's care to care for her husband."
#8 Love. There are many verses in the Bible on love. The book of Titus tells us that the older women are to teach the younger women to love their husbands and to love their children.
1 Peter commands us to, "Love one another."
Romans 13 also commands us to, "Love one another: for love is the fulfilling of the law."
-J.R. Miller- "Love is always ready to deny itself, to give, to sacrifice, just in the measure of its sincerity and intensity. Perfect love is perfect self forgetfulness. Hence where there is love in a home, unselfishness is the law. Each forgets self and lives for others."
#9 Hospitality. There are several verses in the Bible on hospitality.
1 Peter 4:9 "Use hospitality one to another without grudging".
Hebrews 13:5 "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
Romans 13 commands us to be, "given to hospitality." Which brings me to a quote from last week's sermon by our guest preacher. (This was at Highland Bible Church in Woodland Park, CO. I don't remember his name, but I did write down his quote.)
"Hospitality is NOT a dinner party for your friends."
By that I think he means that hospitality is not always easy, fun or inexpensive, that we should be hospitable, even when it's inconvenient.
#10 Prayer James 5:16
"Pray for one another. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
-Elizabeth Elliott- "Pray when you feel like praying. Pray when you don't feel like praying."
Then I closed in prayer.
