INTRODUCTION

The godly choice of whom to marry likely will never again be as obvious as it was for Adam and Eve. Yet, the wrong choice can and will usually bring disastrous outcomes along with lifelong consequences. Wise counsel to avoid pitfalls related to bad choices is vitally important! Samson’s choice was ultimately of the Lord, but not because it was wise. His parents knew that his decision was fleshly and attempted to redirect him. Esau rebelliously sought a wife that would never meet his parents’ approval (Genesis 28:6-9 [6] When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughers of Canaan; [7] And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; [8] And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; [9] Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.
See All...). Throughout the Old Testament, parents were involved in the process of choosing the right spouse for their children. It may not be a direct command from God, but it remains a wise principle to follow. Parents are not always right, but the Lord is pleased to use them in this decision-making process.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): Ruth chose to live with Naomi because she wanted to serve the true God (Ruth 1:15-16 [15] And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. [16] And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
  See All...). God led Ruth to work in the right field. Ruth listened to the wise counsel of her mother-in-law (Ruth 2:19-23 [19] And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. [20] And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. [21] And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. [22] And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. [23] So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
  See All...; Ruth 3:5-6 [5] And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. [6] And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
  See All...; Proverbs 19:20Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
  See All...); this resulted in her becoming the great-grandmother of king David (Ruth 4:17And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
  See All...).
• (For everyone): Who brought Eve to Adam? Who was involved in the selecting of a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24:1-3 [1] And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. [2] And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: [3] And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
  See All..., 50)? Why is it dangerous to make the decision without counsel and without God?
• Some have taken this principle and morphed it into some type of spiritual command. What are some scenarios where parents might not be able to be a help? Who could offer you wise counsel in their stead?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to work in the lives of those who are not yet married.
• Ask God to help those who have not made wise choices.

HYMN

In Times Like These

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